Mythus of Dark Airt, The
by RocketSolarCat
Summary: [AU Fic;Formerly "Untitled"] Snape-Tom Riddle fic. Snape is having visions, they stike him when he least expect it, or do they? That doesn't begin to explain the other things going wrong. Strange fic! [Ch5]
1. Predictions

Authoritrix Notes: Something about this fic: It's scary to think if you've read anything else by me, that I could go from a humor fic to something like this. These are the kind of fics I like to keep to myself. But what can I say, I was bored with letting my humor fic be read by you wonderful people. So I decided to let this story leave my bedroom. I'd like to thank my cat again. Lord Rezo, you kept me from writing this fic all in one night, it took so much longer. Trial and Error Fic...I don't know how this fics going to work out.  
  
Disclaimer:I do not own Harry Potter, or anything related to them, they all belong to J.K.Rowling.  
  
Warnings/Things to Know: This is a slightly AU fic, how its AU you'll figure it out. Rated like....R for later chapters? Takes place when Tom is in 7th Year and Snape is in 1st Year. Not the normal humor fics I do. The fun is in the figuring out part. Slashy things!  
  
Probably not for the squeamish. Or the squeamish at heart.  
  
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UNTITLED  
  
Chapter 1: "Predictions"  
  
.:By: TrSolarCat/RocketSolarCat:.  
  
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Night fell upon Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, a night like most others in those days. The Main Hall was filled with the entire school's staff and students lining it's long elegant dinning tables. The House Banners hung above the tables; an artificial breeze moved them in a back-and-forth-swaying motion. Despite the cold winter outside, the castle was heated so much the breeze was needed.  
  
On this night the annual Quidditch Finals were to take place this week, a grand occasion called for a grand celebration; therefore the feast was significantly longer. The chatter of the students seemed more vigorous than usually, one would think they had never seen each other before.  
  
The feast had long been eaten before a voice rang over the crowded room echoing within the halls,"Silence! Everyone! Headmaster Dippet has an announcement to make! Concerning the House-points!"  
  
A silence began to fall over the Hall, except for the ever-present murmuring. An old snow bearded man sitting at the head of the room sandwiched between the dozens of staff, stood. Smiling happily Headmaster Dippet began:  
  
"Welcome back, students. It's been a while since we had everyone together like this. This year has been eventful thus far, and will be many days beyond this. Concerning the House-points: fourth is Hufflepuff, third Ravenclaw,"The kind old Headmaster paused letting the moment being suspenseful as always,"....Second is Slytherin meaning--"  
  
The Headmaster's words were cut short be a roaring cheer from the Gryffindor table. He had no need to continue with the sentence, but waited until the cheer died,"...Gryffindor is in the lead. Now the rest of you do not be downhearted, it is only the beginning of the year. Keep up the good work my students; now then....It seems this old man has talked enough, go back to your meal. Thank you."  
  
As the air was once again filled with the slowly rising chatter of the students, a voice louder than most other rang out at the Slytherin table,"Well, what can I say? Almost."  
  
"Come off it, Avery, 'almost' isn't good for anything. If your grandma 'almost' sews you a sweater does it count?"Quietly replied a blond- haired boy sitting next to the boy who had spoken, his voice was silky and he needed not to increase in its volume. His hair was slicked back behind his ears smoothly, and he wore elegantly crafted new robes.  
  
"What's your problem, Malfoy? I was just trying to be optimistic!"The boy shot back, laughing. Leaning against his arms, he pushed away the half- full plate in front of him. His hair was dark brown was messy falling down to his shoulders. Surprisingly his robes were in as good a shape as Malfoy's,"We'll crunch those Gryffindors by late winter!"  
  
As others nodded in agreement a voice softly mumbled,"It's more like late April."  
  
"What?"Avery spat out, turning his gaze to the young man whom had spoken so softly to them.  
  
"I said: They'll be out of the lead in April."He repeated, the boy was furthest from the blond Malfoy sitting on his side of the long table. Licking his fingers, which were covered in chicken grease from his messy meal in front of him, he pulled his pitch black hair behind his ears in vain--the strains fell back into their place in front of his face. Not before the boy gave a menacing glance to Avery, then turned back to his plate.  
  
Avery burst into laughter, reaching over he slapped the boy's back saying,"Looks like you've got it figured out, little guy."  
  
With this the others burst into laughter as well. Avery had made an obvious pun on the black- haired boy's stature. For they were all First- Years but the boy was definitely short for his age, but perhaps because he was also hunched over as well.  
  
When everything calmed down again at the table. Malfoy leaned over to his friend next to him, whispering something into the other boy's ear. All the while under the veil of black hair the other boy watched the scene, as the other brown haired boy got up, excusing himself to the bathroom. Malfoy gave a quick disgusted glance at the dark-haired boy,"Your Snape's boy aren't you?"  
  
Pulling his hair from his eyes again, holding it in its place, the boy looked at the blond a searching look in his black eyes.  
  
He didn't answer.  
  
"Yes. That's right, you are!"Malfoy gave a thin smile continuing his voice was thick with malice,"My father told me all about your wretched family. 'They all have bad table manners, eat like pigs, they do.' He told me. Look at that he was right. He told me your father had squandered his fortune in buying liqueur to drown out his sorrows of losing your poor, old....ugly squib mother. So how'd your father get enough money to get you into Hogwarts? But here you are, aren't you, already making a fool out of yourself..."  
  
The Snape boy felt anger rise inside him, his hands tightly gripped the limp chicken piece in it shaking. He felt his feet come to life by themselves, jumping up before he knew what he was doing, he moved to the side instead of at Malfoy.  
  
Something told him to.  
  
Then that 'something' flew past his face, missing his left cheek, a gust of wind as it flew and fell to the table with a clatter. Snape realized a goblet had been thrown from behind him, the brown haired boy had never intended to do anything but this when he'd left the table earlier.  
  
Malfoy the meanwhile was now covered in the red liquid that had spilled from the goblet that had flown at Snape landing in front of his instead on the table. Malfoy made several attempts to rake off the red staining juice but it was obvious it would stain. The blond rushed to his feet then, saying,"You son of a squib--!"  
  
With that both boys were up leaning over the table, both with a nasty look on their face, and an even nastier ill content for one another.  
  
Snape was too focused on Malfoy to realize that someone was standing right behind the blond-haired youth. Until a thin hand dropped onto his shoulder, then Snape looked up, as did Malfoy to see who it was behind him. There stood a tall brown haired older boy, looking about seventeen or eighteen; his robes declared him Slytherin as well. They also declared him a Head Boy from the special metals that were hung all about his robes as well.  
  
"Now, what's this? Lets not be vulgar, Lucius."He grabbed Malfoy's shoulder giving it a jerk, not letting go he glanced over to Snape who was still leaning over the table.  
  
"Oh, well, he knows I didn't mean it, Tom...Sir. I was just joshing him."Malfoy gave a shaking reply, as he looked over to Snape quickly,"Right, Severus?"  
  
Tom's eyes the whole time never left Snape.  
  
Neither did Snape's eyes, as he replied slowly through his teeth,"Yes, Sir."  
  
"But tell me something, Severus..."Tom asked in a curious voice, smiling as he seen Snape back away slowly and sit at the table once more,"...How did you know to dodge that goblet they...jokingly...threw at you?"  
  
"I don't...."He began still his eyes were locked onto Tom's own eyes, he stayed that way until he noticed something other than curiosity seep into the Head Boy's brown eyes. Something in his eyes resembling something Snape had seen before in the eyes of others, hunger. Snape felt his skin crawl and only then did his eyes finally left Tom's--jerking away he looked down at his plate before continuing quickly,"They just devised this whole thing in front of me, that's all, Sir."  
  
Nothing in Hogwarts School regulation demanded the treatment of their Head Boy's with so much respect. It was only common knowledge that Tom was the most mysterious Slytherin boy around at the time. One of the many rumors flustering about Hogwarts was last year Tom had caught a person who was believed to have unleashed a monster on Hogwarts. Tom got the person expelled for life, so no telling what other kind of power Tom had over others now; the staff most likely favored him. Another rumor that was about Tom's life before coming to Hogwarts, it concerned his father. Some of the Slytherins were saying once Tom got so angry about his father, whom he hated for leaving him in a muggle orphanage, he killed him without uttering so much as curse. That seemed impossible to kill someone without cursing him or her, but you never know what one could do when they were angry.  
  
Tom looked disappointed by the answer Snape had given him,"Well, and here I'd have thought you predicted it. Atleast, your an observant one, Severus."  
  
With that, Tom let go of Malfoy's shoulder, giving one last glance to Snape before he walked slowly away. Only when he was out of their sight did the chatter of the table start up again.  
  
"I think Tom has got it in for Snape."Came a voice, Snape didn't bother to look around to see from where it came.  
  
"Who doesn't?"Malfoy jerked in his seat.  
  
Snape couldn't stand much more of this, he abruptly kicked back in his seat pushing away from the table. His chair made a loud screeching noise as he skidded back, getting up and pushing it back into the side of the table. Storming down the row of students, with a scowl of a face under his grease matted hair, he didn't stop the fast paced dash until he heard the Great Hall's huge doors slam shut.  
  
"There's only so much a Snape can take." His father had always told him, saying it out loud made it feel like his father was that much closer to him at that moment. That's what Snape wanted, to go home, tell his father about this. Not that his father would have done anything less than scolding him anyhow, that is what his father always did.  
  
Looking down in a sudden feeling of shame,"This isn't how a Snape is supposed to act. Is it?"  
  
He reached down into his turtle-necked collar pulling out delicately a gold chain. Cradling it in both hands, Snape looked at it with shallow eyes. His dark eyes reflected the shining amulet upon it, an emerald stone within a gold clasp. It had been his mother's for many years, before her death, Snape couldn't help but hear the ill-content blond, Malfoy's words again in his head:  
  
Squib.  
  
What did it matter? Was that all he was known as, son of a drunk and a dead squib? Snape looked harshly at the amulet again, seeing the reflection of his own black eyes in it again.  
  
With nothing but the dark, candle lit corridors to hear him he slowly walked down the hall towards the Slytherin dormitory.  
  
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Authoritrix Notes: So did I fail in my horrid attempt to prove I could write something that wasn't slapstick comedy of any kind. I might take a bit of a break for at least a week or too I have several school assignments, I'm sure you wanted to know that much about me. Hehehe.anyhow I'll just give you all next chapter's title (as usual) and you tell me if you want me to continue. R/R PLZ! Love yea, baibai  
  
Next Chapter: "Mistakes" --what's with the short titles? 


	2. Authoritrix's Note

Authoritrix Brief Explanation of Untitled [Concerning the chain of events]  
  
Well I'd like to go over something, most of you might think I should've done this before now, but I didn't want to. Sorry. Oh and It didn't occur to me that I needed to.  
  
I might have sounded like I don't know what the hell Harry Potter is about. Or what the Harry Potter timeline consists of, or what happened when. Trust me I do. The Harry Potter timeline is by far the easiest timeline I've ever heard of in a magick/magic using show, or any other show I've greatly enjoyed. But I'm a Boogiepop Phantom fan, for heavens sakes, I might as well act like one. By that I mean to mess with the Harry Potter timeline until you don't know what happened when.  
  
*[For those of you whom don't know what Boogiepop Phantom is: It is a Japanese anime that was born into a new category called J-Horror thanks to the book RINGU, which has been recently redone into an American thriller called by it's translated title: The Ring].  
  
THIS IS NOT A BOOGIEPOP CROSSOVER OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. It is simply my version of the events that took place before Harry was born. Mainly dealing with Severus Snape and Tom Riddle. That is ONE of the reasons this is an AU [Alternative universe] fic. For the sake of the plot I DID put Severus and Tom within the same school years though Snape is in first year and Tom is in seventh. As well as the rest of the future Death Eaters and the Marauders in that time as well.  
  
Another reason this fic is considered AU is for the fact that I use some "powers" not granted to the Harry Potter world. These "powers" aren't anything drastically different from normal. So all those fears of instant levitation and laser beam eyes are in vain. What exactly these powers are, is for me to know and for you to definitely find out.  
  
There is one more thing different in my fanfic than in most other Harry Potter things. WARNING IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO PREMATURELY KNOW THIS GO BACK TO ANOTHER CHAPTER OR SOMETHING, I HAVE POSTED IT DOWN BELOW THIS.  
SPOILER [Concerning the being known as Voldemort]:  
  
Voldemort is the same age as he is in the regular Harry Potter universe Tom Riddle is not.  
  
Confused?  
  
Well think of it as this: Voldemort is a disease (Please don't kill me Voldie fans, I was being hypothetical) traveling from person to person, like a virus. He "infects" a person, and becomes something like a split personality. Therefore Tom is younger than Voldemort, because Voldemort was once within another body. UNDER A DIFFERENT NAME OF COURSE BUT HE'S STILL THE SAME AS THAT IN OTHER PERSONS ONLY CHANGING IN NAME. This concept is to be briefly explained in the story as well, but it may not be as clear in the story as I make it here.  
  
*[This concept is also stemming from Boogiepop Phantom. But not exactly the same.]*  
  
If this concept doesn't float your little red wagon or anything else doesn't meet up to your standards within a Harry Potter fiction, you may look for another story. There is like over 6,0000 of them to choose from.  
  
I'll stop explaining it there and let you figure it out from there. Be calm with me, I've got a weird way of presenting things. Trust me, I will try my hardest not to make this as hard a mystery as I like to solve and keep it at a level everyone can. Which is quite hard for me, because when I can figure out a mystery halfway through it, It really pisses [Pardon my French.] me off like: *cough* MARY HIGGINS CLARK *cough*. Sorry, I didn't mean to be blunt or rude.  
  
Please Thank me for atleast explaining this much to  
  
you with a nice review or maybe even a question.  
  
TRSOLARCAT/ROCKETSOLARCAT 


	3. Mistakes

[pic] Authoritrix Notes: Couldn't stay away from the computer, I think I like this stupid machine. PLEASE READ THE AUTHORS EXPLANATION BEFORE THIS CHAPTER [I promise to upload it asap..sorry my computer's crap]. I'd also like to think Kitsune_Arashi, I know hun', I made it that way on purpose..that's one of the reasons its AU. Thank you for reviewing me, anyhow.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything like Harry Potter. I'm as close to owning Harry Potter as I am to being the Queen of Holland. And I'm pretty Dutch, but I'm still not a queen of any sorts. Harry Potter belongs to the fine J.K.Rowling.  
  
Rating/Key: I'll keep it at pg-13 until I get psychotic!  
  
" "--Dialog // \\ --Memories ' ' --Thoughts  
  
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UNTITLED  
  
Chapter 2: "Mistakes"  
  
By-TRSolarCat/RocketSolarCat  
  
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Severus Snape had not been walking down the darkened corridor for very long when he began to hear another set of footsteps echoing out of sync with his own. He stopped abruptly, immediately thinking of Tom Riddle.  
  
Tom Riddle whose eyes were frighteningly strange and filled with some sort of hidden malice. Snape had seen it before, though he knew not where, he knew what someone with those eyes had the capabilities of doing.  
  
Just thinking of that, brought a chill to Snape.  
  
What if this person following him was indeed Tom? He thought, speeding up his pace, in his hands still tightly clutched the necklace dangled in his fingers loosely. Turning a corner to his dismay he found nothing but a dead end, holding only a burgundy framed portrait shoved onto a rusty nail in the corner. For a moment his eyes kept staring at the picture, blank expressions in them, until he remembered he was being followed.  
  
Snape took one look at the necklace then slowly tucked it back into the safety of his robes where it was out of view. Then turned on his heels, as the echoing foot steps finally stopped:  
  
He seen an older man, with a long curling beard a smile on the man's face, he stepped towards Severus. The man was carrying a small candle, when it shone upon both their faces, Snape recognized the man.  
  
"Professor Dumbledore?" Snape muttered in his melancholy voice, though inside him the dark-haired boy was very grateful it was his professor and not Tom.  
  
"Yes, son, it's good to see that it's only you, Mr. Snape." Smiling the professor with the familiar twinkle in his eyes, Snape had seen this many times during class. Dumbledore looked suddenly saddened when Snape returned his attempted joyful manner with a stoic frown,"Let me ask you, Mr. Snape, what are you doing out of the Great Hall?"  
  
Through Snape's hair, he looked into the man's eyes, the kindest eyes Snape had ever seen before and wanting Dumbledore to look away or do anything so he couldn't see those eyes. Something tightened in his stomach as he answered,"I didn't feel well."  
  
"Ah! I see, on your way to the Hospital Wing?"Professor Dumbledore gave another smile,"Well I was on my way there as well. All for the better, we can accompany one another."  
  
Without leaving much room for an argument, Snape felt it was useless to pressure the conversation more, following the old professor out of the corridor. The two had gotten very far before either of them spoke, but as they turned into a unlighted corridor Snape got closer to the dim candle light, then Dumbledore asked,"Something bothering you, Mr. Snape?"  
  
"Not really."Snape leaned down, the black veil of hair covered his face, he wasn't a good liar. Then he heard a grunt of disapproval from his companion before Dumbledore stopped completely, leaving Snape several steps in front of him in the darkness.  
  
"Snape."  
  
"It's just. I can't seem to make any friends, Professor."He confessed, as he stood with his face in the darkness, reaching up to the part of the robes where the necklace was located. He held on to it through the material of his robes, then he went on,"I don't think I'll ever make any in this place."  
  
"Nonsense!"Dumbledore walked on, catching up with Snape he put a hand on the boy's shoulder. Within the candle light it was clear to Dumbledore that Snape was deeply upset although he couldn't see the full extent of Snape's face,"Why wouldn't you make any friends? Just give it time and--"  
  
"I won't! Because my mother was a squib!"Snape yelled it sounded cracked from the anguish in his voice. Snape couldn't stop the tears this time, many times in the past he had been able to, but not after this tender subject was brought up, though he was the one whom brought it up.  
  
Dumbledore realized Snape was indeed crying, switching hands in which the candle was held he draped an arm around the boy. Feeling Snape flinch under his arm, he finally understood what was troubling the boy so much,"Snape...Now who said anything about that? You should know by now, haven't I said it enough in class: It doesn't matter what your parents are, or where you've come from. It only matters about what you do with your life that sets you a part from the others."  
  
Snape's head tilted up to see Dumbledore; his raven hair fell from his face, a searching look in his damp eyes.  
  
At last they reached the entrance to the nurse's office, through the entrance a blond-haired middle aged woman looked up from the book she was reading. Setting it down upon her lap,"May I help you, Professor?"  
  
"Hold on,"Dumbledore waved her away with a slight gesture, turning to the black-haired boy,"You really didn't need to go here, did you, Mr. Snape?"  
  
Snape hesitated before speaking in a low mutter of a voice,"No, Sir."  
  
"I knew this, Severus,"The silver-haired man replied, then Snape's head shot up his face looked as if Dumbledore had insulted him somehow.  
  
"Then why did you....?"Snape began,"Professor, I'm...Goodnight."  
  
"Take care of yourself, Snape."Dumbledore's eyes saddened as Snape turned away to leave. The boy's shoulders were in a slump as he disappeared into the darkness of the halls again. Though no one could hear him the old professor continued, as if Snape was still there to hear his almost whispering voice,"You've done it for many years I can tell by your eyes. But for how well? You may not want to speak of anything, Snape, pretend nothing is wrong. I've seen people do it, but at what cost?"  
  
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Dumbledore may not have known it, but Snape had still heard his message to its finish from the darkness of the halls. Severus was hidden well in the black of the hall, and simply just stood listening to the professor until his words died off. Snape had kept the words in his thought, pondering on them, as he lay in bed not able to get any rest. He gave a tight grip to his pillow pushing his head into it.  
  
"For many years."He sighed as he pulled the covers over his head finally closing his eyes. Kicking his feet out the ends needlessly before he pulled himself into a ball.  
  
Deep into the night he awoke with a jerk. Some unseen Nightmare galloped into his room, just leaving him in a furious dash just before his eyes re-opened. A single word lingered on his lips though he couldn't remember why,"...Remember."  
  
He breathed the word again to himself, slowly uncurling. Covered in sweat he wiped it from his face; noticing on the nightstand was the emerald necklace. Bright in the darkness of the room shining the necklace gave a dull light on his face. Squinting he reached out for it, as he grabbed its golden chain the dull green faded and the room was dark again.  
  
He sat up glanced at it once more, before kicking his feet out the swirling mess of sheets entangling his feet. He rose sitting at the edge of the bed with the amulet in the palm of his wet hands,"Remember? What?"  
  
Rising with weak knees he stumbled through the darkened room, into the Slytherin Common Room. Gazing at the clock whose numbers was only visible through the moonlight seeping through the curtains adjacent to it. He plopped down into a chair, warily his eyes moved around the room. Snakes riddled the room; even the fabric was a dark green with spirals in its design to mimic a snake's coil. The lamp across from Snape had two snakes back to back arched up ready to strike, above their head was the shade also an odd colored green.  
  
Snape had always wanted a snake. Naturally his father disapproved, so he got a tawny brown owl named Andvarinaut instead. Andvarinaut hadn't given him anything this month, Snape remembered, as he yawned again, slowly closing his eyes, his last thought was on if were to have gotten another pet. How he wanted a snake, one he could name all for his own, he even gave this future 'snake' a name: Wyrd.  
  
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"Bloody hell."  
  
"What is-s-s-s it this-s-s time?"  
  
Snape slowly opened his eyes, hearing two voices. One a low hissing utterance resembling a serpents hiss and the other sounded familiar but the boy couldn't place it. Through the darkness of the room, he spied a shapeless figure appear in the doorway connecting the Commons to the Dormitory. Severus watched silently as the shadow moved from the doorway into the room at a drunken slow pace.  
  
"You should know, what is the point of getting up early, again? Tell me that. That blasted muggle-loving--! He's always watching now, that blasted Hagrid is gone."Whispered the other in a calm voice in a reply to an unseen second.  
  
Snape wondered where the other person was, as he only seen one figure in the black room.  
  
"Tom, Tom....calm down now. We'll take care of him s-s-s-soon enough along with that other...."Hissed the other in a husky mocking voice.  
  
'Tom!' Snape's head screamed, as he suddenly felt his arms tighten, he drew his knees up soundlessly hoping that Tom wouldn't see him in the night of the room.  
  
Silently watching Tom Riddle stumble about the room as drunken man, might have amused Snape, had he not been in fear that the seventh year was up to something. Up to something, he didn't want others to hear. The black- haired boy's eyes shot about the room, searching for the other person to which Tom was conspiring. Yet the boy saw no other person.  
  
"Why him? Why not let the Snape-boy go, he's nothing important is he? What happened wasn't anything I need to be concerned with," Tom muttered off-handedly groping through the dark; his hand fell upon the lampshade. Feeling his way down to the chain.  
  
"You s-s-say that and yet, you wonder don't you?"  
  
Hearing the click of the light, Snape knew it was all over.  
  
His eye's slanted from the bright light of the lamp they so quickly took in, when the rush of new light faded Snape seen the brown-haired seventeen-year-old before him. Tom's dreary eyes were over-taken with a new look of shock, as he realized his mistake.  
  
"You...."Stuttered Tom, in a dumbstruck tone. Snape felt himself go numb as he seen Tom's face quickly change to the polar opposite; A sneer come over Tom's face as he repeated the word with a different tone,"You."  
  
Snape didn't know what to say, instead he let the first thing that came to his mind escape his lips, "I didn't hear anything!"  
  
Severus scrambled quickly trying to get out of the chair, not caring if the other person in the room caught him, though he knew not where the other person was. Just as long as he got away from Tom, he didn't care. As he began to climb out of the chair his footing slipped and he fell into the chair's arm, striking his nose into the wooden arm. A hot stream of blood seeped from his nose; the pain was only an afterthought, as he felt something hot on the back of his head. Goosebumps only had several seconds to form, before Snape was thrown into the chair again, facing forward once again.  
  
Draping his arms over the back of the chair; Tom loomed over the now trapped Snape.  
  
"Did anyone ever tell you:.....You aren't a very creative liar." Tom slowly asked, the sneer was still there on his face.  
  
"I've heard it before." Snape was wide-eyed,"Sir."  
  
"Where?"Tom asked smiling once more. As his arm fell off the chair absent-mindedly then he put it near his own face glancing at his fingers.  
  
"I don't know--."Snape honestly didn't know the answer. Yet he was sure he heard it somewhere before.  
  
// You're the worst liar I've ever heard, Severus! Do you know where liars go? I'll tell you--! \\ A voice screamed inside his head. Playing like a broken record inside him, the voice seemed louder when it came to his name. His head was suddenly heavy. Falling forward only a second before he jerked back, reality hit Snape again.  
  
"I said I didn't know!" Snape yelled, jerked away, feeling something warm on the back of his head. Tom's hand was there; almost supporting the younger boy's head, but his intention was clearly not that-his hand tightened in Snape's raven hair as he tried to jerk the other way. Pulling Snape back against the chair, he took his other under the boy's throat.  
  
"Now, Severus no need to yell." Laughed Tom, giving Snape another squeeze around the neck, seeing his face through the mass of hair. Tears in the black-haired boy's eyes, a pain-stricken face, Tom gave a twisted smile before continuing,"Lets see what can we do about this mess? It's not as if you heard anything important except maybe when Vol--."  
  
Biting his lip Tom stopped, a vexed look on his face,"No. I won't do that. I feel we should get something out of the way.....Let me make something clear to you, Snape."  
  
Only then did Tom let go of Snape, sliding his hand over to the chair to rest on its arm. On the brink of consciousness Snape felt his lungs explode with air once more, and drew in huge ragged breaths.  
  
"You don't speak of so much as seeing me or hearing me. I refuse to sink so low as to threaten you Severus, especially after I almost killed you, just now. Wouldn't you agree? Or would you prefer I threaten you just in case you get some idea in your head that you can somehow get away from me. Say something, Severus, if you think you can get away from me."  
  
With his breathing almost back to normal, Snape didn't move as the older boy's hand let his hair fall loose. Tom's fingers went through his hair, took an unnecessary trail down the side of his face. Stopping there Tom grabbed his face tilting it up towards him, whipping a salty tear from the corner of Snape's eye. "Understand?"  
  
"I....do...Sir."  
  
"That's a good boy. I don't want to be against you, Snape, I don't want to drive you away. You'd make a very fine servant of Lord Voldemort one day." Tom let go, backing slowly away, his fingers were smudged with Snape's blood, he reached over with two fingers delicately pulling the lamp chain. Leaving Snape in the dark to ponder one of the many questions he just accumulated.  
  
'Voldemort?'  
  
Shaking Snape fell back into the chair, curling up into a tight ball. Soaked in blood pouring from his nose and his own tears his hand fell over the necklace again. His eyes grew wide as he realized something was different with it:  
  
Broken.  
  
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Authoritrix notes:  
  
[MYTHOLOGY]  
  
*Andvarinaut is a cursed ring in NORSE mythology belonging to many owners it brought them much fortune yet left them all doomed in the end. Belonging first to a dwarf named Andvari whom cursed the ring after Loki (God of Fire) and Odin killed his son Otter, mistakingly. Andvari decided the price of his son's death was to be paid back in enough gold as could fill Otter's skin. The skin of Otter however could stretch in its size. Once defeated [I don't know in great detail how], Andvari gave up all his treasure stored underground, and in his anger created the cursed ring, Advarinaut.  
  
*Wyrd [Urd] is the NORSE goddess of the past. With their other too "sisters" Verdandi [Belldandi] and Skoll [Skuld].  
  
Just thought you'd like to know. Well, anyhow plz r/r me! I like people.  
  
Next Chapter: "That Which is Broken/Libraries" 


	4. That Which is Broken&Libraries

Authoritrix Notes: I hate to be a hypocritical ermine of doom, but I have to add in an OC. Oh! This chapter gets a little 'Ek! How could you?' if you will. This one came a long way from its original version in my notebook, which only goes to show you after you play Wack-A-Rat on willard.com you turn a little grotesquely violent. oO Sorry.  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing Harry Potter. J.K.Rowling owns them. I didn't do it. I'm only messing with the story line a bit, and bringing some much UN- needed pain to the characters. Several characters are mine in this chapter, and I'd like to think Nekomi, Scruffy, and Elf-Boy for their help in the naming of them.  
  
Key: // \\ Memories/Other ' 'Thoughts " " Quotes [Naturally]  
  
--------------  
  
UNTITLED  
  
Chapter 3: "That Which is Broken/Libraries"  
  
By: TRSolarCat/RocketSolarCat  
  
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//Severus I want to give you something. I think you know why I am giving this to you.\\ His father's voice played back to him, in it's silky deep tone.  
  
//Mother's--! \\ He was in his father's lap, as they sat one night after dinner sometime after his mother died. The fire was going heating the whole room, as they sat in it's glow Snape felt his father's arms go around him until they were freely in front. There his father held the necklace, the necklace he'd wear on his neck for four years without incident.  
  
//Yes, it is. I'm going to give you this in full confidence you know how to take care of it. Another thing, don't take it off, Severus, you might not understand this but don't worry.\\ His father delicately handed it too him, Snape's eyes were wide in wonder, something of his mother's was going to be his. Severus was too young to remember his mother when she was alive, and just getting something of hers meant more to him then all other things did back then. Now it didn't seem so important to him, except for one factor:  
  
He broke it.  
  
Long after he'd bandaged his nose, counted the bruises on his neck, and done the best he could to calm his fears, the necklace was still broken. He figured it happened when he was trying to get away from Tom Riddle that night. Everything about that night bothered him, in which it would any normal human being. Several days after, he still couldn't shake it from his mind.  
  
After class from that day forward, Snape found himself walking almost absent-mindedly down the halls of Hogwarts towards the library. Sitting alone, in the darkest corner of the massive room, at a rustic old table. Most of the times he'd begin these trips by going down an aisle and pulling out several books at random and returning to the table, which no one dared claim their own before he had. Most of the other people, including the librarian knew well that Severus Snape was sitting there, and no one ever took anything off that desk.  
  
Reading everything he could about the great wizards of the past, guilds, and sometimes even getting into the muggle religious leaders- searching through everything he could for even a resemblance to the name Riddle had spoken. Nothing even came close to 'Voldemort', there was no record of anything named that.  
  
Snape knew then that he'd either have to ask someone, which seemed out of the question, (seemingly that it might cause suspicion to fall onto him) or that he might check in the 'Restricted Area'. The 'Restricted Area' was off limits to all in Hogwarts except the seventh year students, the only seventh year Snape had known was Tom Riddle, himself, and that seemed as deadly as it was useless to ask him.  
  
It had just so happened that on one day's journey to the library Snape had become so frustrated with everything currently happening that he threw his books aside. As they scattered the floor with several heavy thuds, he realized someone was near the exact spot in which his books had fallen. Looking up he noticed a blond-haired Gryffindor girl calmly picking up the books he'd just thrown astray. As she approached he put on his normal outward appearance, hiding his frustration; she leaned over and put them back on the desk calmly. Then, straightening she didn't move from the side of the table. After she'd been there for a moment Snape asked angerly,"What do you want? If you' re looking for me to be grateful, you're mistaken."  
  
Snape had gotten used to the jeering remarks which most of the other students made towards him, perhaps his heart had now hardened slightly more than he had realized.  
  
"That's not a very pleasant thing to say to a lady."She wasn't upset,"Severus, your always sitting over here alone and--"  
  
"What about it?"He snapped, but looked up into her eyes just then seeing something that reminded him of Dumbledore he quickly turned his eyes away once more. He hated those eyes,"I don't suppose you' d care if I did, anyhow."  
  
"Well!"She sounded mad this time, putting her hands upon her hips,"Mr. Snape, if that's the way you are going to be, then I guess I won't invite you to come over and sit with us."  
  
Another wave of guilt just hit the black-haired boy, just as it had when he found out Dumbledore knew he was lying. As the girl turned, her curly blond hair swishing, she got several steps away before Snape called her back,"Lily! Wait, Lily."  
  
The Gryffindor turned around quickly, as if Snape had done something she didn't expect,"You remember my name?"  
  
He nodded, then began to make an apology hastily before the girl had anything else to say in response,"I might have been too eager to be left alone just now, Lily. I feel like I was frustrated, but don't think it was towards you."  
  
"Is that what you call an apology?"Lily laughed, giving him a skeptical look,"Well, Mr. Snape, I don't know how to take that. Is that a 'yes' you will join us, or a 'no'?"  
  
Lily made a slight gesture towards a small table, several away from Snape's own. At the table sat four other Gryffindors, as Snape glanced at them past Lily at the table he caught one of them in eye contact. Dark brown hair that looked rugged out of place, yet clean robes, glasses, and a suspicious look in his eye as he looked back at Snape. Snape knew from these characteristics the boy could only belong to the Potter family, another wizard family as rich as Malfoy's and his own. Out of all the families in the wizarding world the Potters has seemed the most odd to Snape. Certainly people said the same about his own, but something about the Potters was different.  
  
As Lily stood prattling about some odd subject, most likely potions, Snape unintentionally couldn't recall a word; he was too worried about Potter. Potter had gotten to his feet and was coming straight for them.  
  
"Aye, Lily!"He cheerfully said as he approached, putting an arm around Lily's shoulder, the girl returned the gesture with a smile.  
  
"Hey, James, how is the report coming along? Did Remus find anything in 'Hogwarts: A History' yet?"She asked then turned back to Snape, as if she'd forgotten him being there then suddenly remembered,"Oh! I'd like you to meet Snape, James, you know from Double Potions?"  
  
Potter's eyes grew at the mention of Snape's name, and then he turned Lily around by the shoulders,"Nice to meet you. Lily lets go. I think he did find something."  
  
"James, don't be rude!"She yelled as Potter took a hold of her and started to push her back towards the table, she called back to Snape,"Bye, Severus! I'll see you in--well, later!"  
  
Without a parting word to her, Snape picked up the latest book he was finishing and headed to the librarian's desk. Holding the book tight to his chest as he walked out into the hallway, turning the corner he felt something hit him. Falling back, he looked up to see who had run into him-- there stood Lucius Malfoy rubbing his side, his face was screwed up in a painful whence.  
  
"Watch it you--!"He stopped short, realizing who he'd run into, a thin smile crossed his face,"Well, well look who it is! Snape...brushing up on your 'predictions', I suppose?"  
  
Getting up he gave a menacing glare to Malfoy,"If I had do you think I would have run into you?"  
  
"You have a point."Lucius put a hand through his blond hair, absentmindedly as he rolled his eyes, "Anyway, what were you doing?"  
  
"Not your concern."Snape shot back, he owed nothing to Lucius, except maybe to punch him in the nose for speaking of his mother so rudely at the Great Hall.  
  
"Calm down."The blond laughed, suddenly his smile turned genuine,"I hear your family was into the Dark Arts as well. We've got something in common, after all."  
  
Severus could barely believe what was going on next.  
  
"Has your father taught you the Unforgiveables?"Lucius asked curiously, as he seen Snape was giving him a confused look suddenly,"Are you a good dueler?"  
  
"What?"Croaked Snape, in disbelief, as Lucius began to have a one- sided conversation with him.  
  
Malfoys were always notorious for being the talkative type, Severus' father had always told him a Malfoy could talk his way out of anything. Severus himself had been to many dinner parties, and heard the Malfoys giving toast and saying beginning speeches that were several minutes long. But as he watched Lucius talk he began to wonder if this wasn't only a gift of the Malfoys but the eighth wonder of the world.  
  
Feeling his lip curl up in a disgusted look, he couldn't help but stare at Lucius' gapping mouth as he continued to converse, mainly with himself. Shaking his head Severus heard the last of Lucius' words,"..So if you ever need a Second tell me, sorry about that whole Great Hall thing..."  
  
"A..lright.."He nodded, his face still scrunched up in the grimace he had worn through the entire ordeal.  
  
Behind Lucius came the tall brown-haired Avery, as Snape seen him approach his disgusted face slacked slightly. Avery leaned over Malfoy, seeming to wink at Snape as he half yelled,"Hey, Lucius, we ready to go?"  
  
'Go?' Snape quickly wondered, as the blond nodded in agreement to the boy giving Snape a casual wave of departure before walking past him towards the hallway's end.  
  
Giving a lazy glance to his book, he still clutched to his chest, he began to walk on down the opposite direction. Not getting two steps before he heard an abrupt cough that purposely got his attention. Turning he spotted a middle-aged man, with red eyes and gray shoulder length hair, and a pair of black-framed glasses pushed to the end of his nose. Instantly recognizing him, Snape waited for his approach. A slow prowling walk, he began to speak before completely reaching Snape,"Mr. Snape, I suppose you've either forgotten your way or your watch."  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"The Quidditch Pitch is that way, where your fellow house members were going, Mr. Snape."The man's silky voice didn't rise, looking down with his cat-like eyes at Snape, a curious eye-brow rose as he went on,"You do remember today is the Quidditch finals don't you, Mr. Snape?"  
  
He had forgotten, turning around quickly, he headed for the pitch calling back,"Thank you, Professor Aveon!"  
  
Seeing the man's parting gaze through the ruffled locks of his black hair Snape turned the corner quickly.  
  
Professor Aveon was the head of Slytherin also the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, from Snape's first impression; he appeared to be a strange man with a blunt way of speaking to a person. Much like Snape's own father, more so than anyone else in Hogwarts, Aveon reminded him of his father--demanding much respect and not tolerant of any so-called 'horse play' in class. Not only that, but Aveon also carried himself the same manner his father did, head high, an intimidating smirk--his eyes looking straight into the eyes of the person he was talking to like a bird of prey looked at a meal.  
  
Aveon didn't have much to say to the other staff members, at least in front of the students, taking second in most conversations with McGonagall, Trelawney, and even Dumbledore. Dumbledore could usually strike a willing or non-willing conversation with almost anyone, to not be able to squeeze one out of the DADA teacher must have been a defeat for the old professor.  
  
Snape turned his thoughts from the cat-eyed teacher to finding the passage leading to the Quidditch Pitch, finally arriving at its openly massive gates. Cheering over-come most of Severus' ears, the crowd was roaring. The massive green field stood save the Quidditch teacher, Madam Vergas--wife to the Herbology teacher she too had a job at Hogwarts-- holding the black Quidditch chest to her side. Snape slowly walked towards the towering Slytherin booth standing tall with the others closest to the gates, he didn't take his eyes from Madam Vargas as she bent down with the box, placing it on the green.  
  
The announcers voice sounded off from the small riser placed in front of the teacher's towering booth,"This is Lillian Jordan as today's announcer sitting in for Clarence Hillbrook who's took today off because-- ."  
  
A teacher was clearly giving her a look that made the young girl's voice speed up,"--Today is Gryffindor verses Slytherin, the final match of the school year. Who will win the Hogwarts Quidditch Cup of 1976? Here come the play'rs now!"  
  
Then, from both sides of the stadium, the Quidditch player shot out of their waiting rooms. Speeding quickly in loops around the grounds, curving in impressive maneuvers as the crowd began to cheer once more, in a frenzy waving the colors of Slytherin on small cloth flags.  
  
The announcer gave a quick overview of the players, although the only name Snape recalled was 'Riddle', he'd known prior to this occasion Tom was in Quidditch, as a Beater, but now it seemed important. He watched Tom gracefully float to the inner circle of the field, without a single stunt or move to impress the crowd.  
  
".And now a word from Madam Vargas!"The announcer ended the line-up the static increased as Madam Vargas came over the speaker.  
  
A thick French accent she rose up her arms,"I vant a nice cl'an game-- Slytherins as well!"  
  
From his seat Severus watched as Madam Vargas kicked the locking mechanism on the black box, as the top fell backwards, something shot off over the Gryffindor tower, another other the Ravenclaw. Snape realized it was the Bludgers, when his eyes fell back on the green the players were shooting off in all directions. Severus' eyes stayed with Tom as best he could, watching him whirl around from the direction of the Gryffindor tower, and dive for the Gryffindor rings. Meanwhile a blond Gryffindor girl had the ball and was weaving through the Slytherins who were in a furious siege against her. Seeing Tom in front of her, blocking her shot to the ring, she quickly dove down circling around she tossing it into the air, a Gryffindor boy from somewhere Snape couldn't see grabbed it, sending it into the goal as Tom twisted around to go after the girl.  
  
"Goal for Gryffindor!"Rang the announcer, clearly she was a Gryffindor herself,"Oh! What's this it seems Gloria Enigma, the Slytherin Seeker, has located the Golden Snitch! She's diving in for it!"  
  
Severus' eyes quickly went from Tom towards the direction of the diving Gloria, the brown-haired girl as she jetted quickly after the speeding ball of gold. Instantly the Gryffindor seeker was on her tail, trailing her as she twisted through the towers. Knocking Gloria several times the Gryffindor couldn't rattle the girl's concentration. Suddenly, in a smooth movement Gloria lost her, and then a Bludger knocked the Gryffindor astray--a Bludger Tom hit at her, Snape noticed quickly. Tom came in near the other Slytherin as if to protect her, as she resumed in her chase of the Snitch getting closer to the ground almost inches from it. Above them, another goal was won for Gryffindor, but was hardly noticeable to anyone because Gloria was within inches of the Snitch. Tom suddenly veered off, making a lazy circle and heading towards the Gryffindor rings. The other Slytherin kept her course on the Snitch, Snape realized she was struggling to catch it. Gloria began to balance her broom with her legs, taking both hands after the Snitch, gaining speed even then as she neared the end of the field. Snape barely saw that she had it in her hands, only needing to close them and the golden ball would be in her palms; Suddenly the broom's head feel into the ground, lifting her off it head first into the ground. Gloria's head hit first, her neck making a rough jerk as it went into the Quidditch field. Skidding several times, until she came to a halt--an almost instant silence fell over the entire field.  
  
"Is she moving?"A girl behind Severus asked, as she quickly got up pushing through him to get to the front of the raisers.  
  
"Oh, my god! She isn't! Gloria!"  
  
//And she never will again.\\A voice inside Snape's mind told him, it didn't sound foreign, yet it seemed as though it was something that had been placed inside his head, that suddenly fired.  
  
Now the entire Slytherin booth was in a panicking sense of dread. Severus' eyes stayed glued to the motionless girl's body on the field. From the corner of his vision he saw Madam Vargas approaching in a run.  
  
//What's the use in running, you can't get away. No one ever gets away...\\He heard it again, he tried to push these thoughts from his head, another voice then came through him seeming to be randomly fired,//Your mother was always so--.\\  
  
Snape closed his eyes quickly, wishing the voices away, as he reopened them he seen Professor McGonagall and Professor Aveon also running towards the girls body. The game had long since ceased, the other players gathered around the area the girl had fallen. The two professors pushed their way into the circle--Snape couldn't see Gloria's body anymore.  
  
//Poison them, Severus, they don't deserve an easy death--You've sent us all to hell, Severus, don't you understand--a person can only live without hope for so long, then it becomes something unbearable they can't deal with it. Can't you give me anymore hope then that, haven't you--!\\  
  
His eyes were growing clouded, the people on the field below him became blurred. Just spots in his eyes.  
  
"Stop."He whispered, slowly dragging his hands over his ears in one fluid motion, pressing the palms deep into his head, as if to force the noise out of his head. No longer able to see the players, field, or even the people in front of him--he closed his eyes as the blurs around him began to make his head whirl.  
  
"No, no, no--"His voice seemed so far from him, the voices wouldn't go away though he begged for them to. He felt something on his shoulder, a warmth that was never there before, like when his father gave him the necklace a void was filled--except he didn't find happiness in this one. Feeling the strength back in him he reopened his eyes slowly, seeing first the blond-haired Malfoy. Lucius had him be the shoulders, saying something; Avery was behind him with a worried look about him.  
  
"Snape! Snape, come out of it already!"Lucius shook him once more, Snape's neck stiffened as he realized what was going on. He brushed Lucius' hand off quickly regaining his wits,"Snape! Oh, gods, I thought you were gone for a minute there.."  
  
"We got'a go, Lucius."  
  
"Why are you always in a hurry to get somewhere, Avery."Snape heard himself say, his head still reeled in and out of a dizziness that gave his vision spots of black.  
  
"Well, Snape, if you'd been with us the whole time you'd know Dippet called for all students to return to the dormitories."Avery snapped angrily, as he took one of Snape's arms pulling him into a stand, as Lucius backed away.  
  
"So she's dead?"Glancing at the field once more, he saw the players were scattered about the area, most in the arms of the other players crying from Snape's view. He saw the teachers gathered in the circle still over the place where the girl, Gloria, had fallen. She wasn't there anymore; just the long up-heaved stretch of earth and her shattered broomstick.  
  
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Deep into the rest of the day, almost through the night no person was allowed out of his or her common room. Caged with in their confining rooms the students were surrounded with this gloom. Especially the Slytherin house, whose Head of House had yet to return, and were most deeply impacted.  
  
Severus confined himself to his bed, sitting on it he read page after page on the book he'd taken from the library, keeping his mind there. Hearing occasionally the sound of a Slytherin girl crying frantic sobs or the sound of someone suspecting fowl play for some reason or other.  
  
When Andvarinaut flew into the open window at the end of the room, resting on her perch he stopped his reading only to bay her a calm 'hello'. Running his hands through her feathers before she began to munch on the latest catch she had come across.  
  
Time passed slowly, no one came looking for Snape and he devoured the book till the very last pages, glancing at the clock he decided to rest though it was only eight-thirty. Sluggishly putting on his nighttime clothing covered by a dark green bathrobe, before letting his owl out for the night. Watching the owl sail into the night, on her giant wings he stared at the sky.  
  
He made an angry scowl, even their twinkle reminded him.  
  
Pulling out the necklace he broke the chain off in a quick flicking of his wrist preparing almost to throw it. Stopping even before his arm went anywhere he glanced at it again, this time with harsh eyes,"What's so great about this? I should by all means just get rid of it."  
  
'Then what? Tell father you forgot it? It was stolen? You broke it?'  
  
Instead he turned with it, and flopped down onto his bed, his reflection in it was shattered as the necklace was. He put it quickly on the table beside the bed disgusted he didn't want to see its shine anymore. Throwing back the sheets, crawling under--he threw his robe aside towards a chair near the window, hoping it would stay in place.  
  
He wasn't in much of a mood for dealing with these problems. Tom Riddle was the only problem he needed to deal with; His father was away from him for now, and Gloria Enigma was not his friend or even acquaintances so he could care less about her death.  
  
Deciding that Snape finally closed his eyes, hoping for a full night of rest and the hopes of tomorrow being able to forget the accident that happened today and shake the feeling in his conscious that told him: 'there is something wrong'.  
  
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Authoritrix notes: Ended weird, only because I had to make it shorter because I split it into two chapters..Be grateful, anyhow, please r/r if you feel so inclined. It does a lot for me as far as motivation goes.  
  
Next Chapter: "Accusations" --Subject to change(s) 


	5. The Facade, Accusations & Shadowless

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[3/31/03] Authoritrix Notes: I spell checked it folks, sorry about that! 

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[Original]Authoritrix Notes: Thanks for the reviews, I love you all. XD Yay, it has a title! A damn good one too. I'll explain that one later. way later. **Disclaimer**: Harry Potter, a man with a mission. A mission I, the Authoritrix, did not create. J.k.Rowling did. I own Alsto Aveon (yes that's his first name), Agnes (whom you will meet briefly), and the Vargas (husband and wife), just to let you know. **Rating**: BOOSTED! I had to do it. Sorry! -.-

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MYTHUS OF DARK AIRT, THE [UNTITLED]

By: TrSolarCat/RocketSolarCat

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Chapter 4-"The Facade/Accusations/Shadowless"

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_+{Part 1: "Aveon's Facade"}+ _

Insomnia had taken its toll on him Snape felt his body 'wake' once more, seeing the dark of the room. Knowing then, it was not daytime--or yet after looking at the clock seeing it wasn't anywhere near it. Staring at the room in silence for several minutes, he rose from the bed quietly, eyeing the perch to where his owl was supposed to be, she had not returned. Stretching he yawned, but as his hand fell back on the pillow, he felt something wet. His eyes went down to see the pillow was soaked in blood,"Dammit."

He pinched his nose again. 

Getting up he stumbled blindly across the hall to the bathroom, rolling out several strips of tissue from one of the stalls he held his head forward feeling the blood slowly drain into the wadded up ball of tissue. Hearing something from the other room almost a musical melodious sound, he begged his curiosity to let it be, and not want to find out exactly what this noise was. Snape had come to realize his curious nature would get him into trouble faster than much anything else, sometimes he wished he was born without the need or desire to know what was going on about him. 

Even years from now, Snape would wish his curiosity to oblivion. Much trouble would come from being 'curious'. 

Tonight however as he stalked out into the hallway again and began to follow the sound of the melody, it was a deep tune--almost a sad one. He found himself at the door of the Head of Slytherin, he looked down to see his professor's light was still on, seeping through the cracks of the door at its base. 

"Lost your way again, Mr. Snape?" 

Severus felt his face go white, turning rapidly about on his heels he seen--his teacher behind him. As quickly as the adrenaline in him had shot up, it fell back--though completely not gone,'Thank the gods it wasn't Riddle.' 

The feline-eyed Aveon cocked his head to one side, looking quite annoyed suddenly,"Are you rude, Mr. Snape, or did you just not hear me?"

"No, I heard you..Sir."Severus replied quickly,"I was just awake, and I heard this music and.."

Snape watched the expression on the older man's face, which was always hard to judge because the man hardly made any attempts to display his emotion. Aveon had a questionably disgusted look,"Agnes?"

Pushing past Severus the gray-haired Professor rushed into the room, angerly he half-yelled,"Agnes!"

From the doorway, Severus could hear another voice reply an almost mechanical broken voice,"Agnes bored, Alsto gone, bored bored! Alsto love Agnes."

"Well, either way you woke up a student already, what should you have to say about that? Should 'Alsto' love you for that? And--"Aveon abruptly turned back to the door giving Snape another unreadable glance,"Still there I see, why don't you come in seeing as though you don't want to leave."

Snape held his tongue, almost wanting to say something rash back to the ill-mannered professor's comment. Yet the boy obediently began to step into the room. Noticing first the room was just as the others in the Slytherin house, but contained more than simply the design of the green serpents, there in fact was more pictures of winged creatures than snakes in the entire room. The mantel above the fireplace was bare holding no pictures or other things that might be held on it to represent the professor. 

"Alsto!"The voice called again harsher, as Snape noticed the professor backing away from the corner of the room he stood in. Severus finally seen the cause of the ruckus, a sleek black bird with a hook-like beak and a pair of piercing green eyes. 

Aveon paid the bird no heed as he made his way across the room, coming to a rest in a silky green chair facing the hearth. Then didn't say anything for several seconds, opening his mouth but still silent as if he were struggling for the words,"Severus, what happened to your nose?"

'Severus?'The boy wondered his eyes looked troubled, he didn't care to answer this question. As he was thinking of a good lie to fool the professor with, when Snape heard him shift in his seat. Making several comments too low for Severus' ears. 

"If you have no intentions to talk, Severus, do inform me. I can't have myself being an annoying old prat, can I?"The bitterness in the professor's voice as he spoke made Snape well aware that Aveon was offended. 

"Sir, I'm sorry."Severus apologized, yet inside he didn't feel much regret seeing as though the professor was being rude as well, or perhaps it was just in his nature to be this way, Snape couldn't tell. 

"So?"

"I fell, and I hit it."He lied, although it was in part the actually truth. He saw the professor shift in his seat again, this time towards him. Aveon was looking straight into his eyes now, glaring into Snape, through him. With the teacher's red eyes staring over Snape; he felt his head turn away. 

"And...? Or can I assume, you accidentally strangled yourself?"A weary smile on Aveon's face as he chuckled then shook his head looking away,"No, that wouldn't do. What's the matter with you all? Is it I? That won't do."

That confused Snape, it seemed Aveon wasn't talking to him at all. 

He stayed silent as the gray-haired man continued turning to Severus again,"Did you know Gloria did that on purpose?"

"No, Sir, I didn't."

"Neither did I."Aveon gave a cynical laugh, Snape noticed the professor's eyes had a watery glaze over them, as if he was fighting tears. This was not the Professor Aveon Severus was used to seeing, this Professor Aveon wasn't tough, or angry--he wasn't mean or cruel looking. Aveon blinked the tears out of his eyes,"I didn't know.....Forgive me, Mr. Snape, but I believe you've out stayed your 'welcome'....It's best you get to bed, we've a long day tomorrow."

"Aye...Sir."Thats all he found in himself to say, getting up and heading for the open door he turned back to the professor who remained unchanged in the chair,"Goodnight."

"I doubt it will be."Another cynical laugh, before Snape disappeared in the doorway leaving the professor and his bird for the darkness of the hall. 

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_+{Part 2: "The Accusation of Gryffindor"}+_

Within weeks, it seemed, everyone had forgotten Gloria Enigma's death, all but the Slytherin children who would remind themselves of it through out the day. 'There's were Gloria sat', 'That's Gloria's room'; Severus felt compelled to simply walk away when he found a conversation starting to go towards 'Gloria'. Most of the talks of the brown-haired girl were as he was on his way to Transfiguration Class, in part because to get there you had to walk past the Gryffindor trophy case. As if it wasn't that Gloria was dead, it was that she'd caused the Slytherin's a forfeit and that she caused Gryffindor's to 'win' it. Could that be the only reason they talked about Gloria? 

"Selfish people."He heard himself say, looking into the glass of the trophy case, staring at the golden piece of metal that was the sole purpose of the remembrance of Gloria. Good or Bad, they remembered her because of it. Through the reflection he saw one of the Gryffindor's behind him--Potter. His brown hair was fixed around his face; his glasses pushed up around his eyes, looking at Snape, without any expressions on his face. 

"Hey, James, come on!"Called another Gryffindor then he seen Potter disappear, again he was alone in the hall.

Finally pulling his eyes from the statue, he continued on towards the classroom, Double Transfiguration. Snape hated Transfiguration with a passion, the teacher McGonagall was about as delightful as Professor Aveon was, normally. Not like he was that night to Snape, maybe it was like that with all the Hogwarts teachers, they seemed nicer when they weren't in public.

Taking a seat near the center of the class behind a mahogany desk beside Lucius (who was more occupied talking to Narcissa Verdell, another Slytherin girl, beside him), Snape had the feeling that eyes were on him. His eyes scanned the room quickly, spotting several Gryffindor nudging each other, and pointing. The same group he'd seen in the library, Lily's friends.

Then Professor McGonagall drew the attention to the front of the class, as the students turned forward the feeling of the boys watching him didn't sway. He felt that way through the entire hour-long session, it rattled his concentration--he couldn't remember anything the teacher had said. Hearing them snicker behind him, he finally leaned over to Lucius and asked him,"Who are those Gryffindor behind us....besides Potter?"

Lucius pulled his hair out of his face, telling Narcissa to wait as he returned Snape's question with an angry,"What?" 

The blond made a disgusted face, turning on his elbow towards Snape. Severus gritted his teeth,"Do I have to repeat everything? Who are they?"

Lucius dark eyes rolled back, looking at the boys from the corner of his vision,"Snape those are The Marauders, or so they call themselves....it's Peter Petigrew, Remus Lupin, James Potter, and Sirius Black."

"No Lily?"Snape questioned, mainly to himself as he seen Lucius shrug him off and turn back to the snobbish looking Slytherin girl.

From that day forward during passing, and generally anytime a student from Gryffindor could be around, Snape felt the Marauders eyes on him. He knew they had been watching him, but the prospect of them having nothing better to do than chase after him seemed irrational. As much as the young Slytherin tried, he couldn't shake off the tendency to glance over his shoulder--expecting someone to be there. If not James and his Gryffindor friends, Tom Riddle might have been there. In any case, Severus was beginning to think Tom Riddle made up that name, Voldemort, just to confuse him--and it was definitely working.

Finally one day the Gryffindors approached him, it was exactly a week from when Snape first knew they were watching him for some reason or other. During one passing was when they approached, the Marauders--and Snape (fairly uneven odds, if they were to fight).

The brown-haired Lupin was first to speak, in a polite voice,"Excuse us, Snape. Can we have a word with you?"

"Finally."He heard himself growl, giving the others behind Lupin a intimidating glare, flicking his hair from his face carelessly. 

Remus seemed to brush off the rude reply, continuing,"You know what happened to Lily, right?"

"No, why would I? She's in your house."Severus didn't know why he was being this way when Lupin was only asking a simple question, he just felt the anger swelling inside him from all the things that had happened to him this year. 

One of the others, Sirius Black, pushed his way past Lupin advancing on Snape, pointing a broad finger at him,"Listen! I don't know what your problem is, you grease-head--"

"Sirius!"It was Potter this time, pulling the angry Gryffindor back by the arm,"Snape, just answer the question!"

"Why? You already suspect it's me!"Snape yelled back reaching for his wand, which was shoved in his black robes from the previous class,"Go on let him go, I'll curse his sorry arse!"

Black struggled against James harder breaking free his chest heaved, and his face was screwed up in a nasty scowl,"You can tell just by the way he's acting he cursed Lily!" 

'Lily is cursed?'Severus wondered promptly before making a hasty decision to tell them the truth, as he glanced at the clock which until now seemed unimportant,"I don't know what happened to Lily. I didn't even know she was cursed, until that git--"He smirked odiously at Sirius,"--said so. Now unless you have anything else to say to me, such as an apology, I'll be leaving."

Seeing a mix of strange emotions strike the Marauders after he'd said that he turned away before they could reply to him, a smile began to widen on his face. Severus determined the Marauders weren't anything he needed to be worried about. Seeing the shocked look on Potter's face, that look of innocent confusion on Remus, and the hate on Black's features--it only made Severus' victory more blissfully gratifying. 

No wonder Professor Aveon walked around with such an unagreeable attitude, it was self-satisfying. To be able to shock everyone into a wordless state of astonishment, a loathing astonishment they couldn't reply to without making themselves a fool. Severus had seen this before, mainly from the Slytherins and finally understood exactly what drove a person to act in such a way. 

Feeling better about himself Snape pranced into the Potions Class just as final bell sounded, flopping down into a chair beside Avery. Lucius, whom sat behind the both of them, seen Snape's lighthearted attitude then lurched forward placing his himself between Avery and Snape. His blond hair fell onto Snape as he rested his chin on the boy's shoulder,"You're in a cheery mood, Snape, is something wrong--or should I say 'right'?"

Avery took noticed of the lingering smile on the younger boy's face as well. 

Snape covered his face, as Professor Dumbledore walked by them towards the front of the room where he stood, before acknowledging the two's inquiries,"The Marauders..."

Lucius let out a small chuckle, as did Avery, seeming without words they'd understood what Snape had done. 

"I'll tell you later."Snape whispered as he seen Dumbledore's eyes fall on them Lucius fell back into his seat. 

"Mr. Snape, if you're done gossiping with your fellow Slytherins I'd like to teach class."With an eyebrow cocked Dumbledore continued to peer at Snape with his kind blue eyes. Meaning to intimidate him, but Snape didn't feel intimidation instead guilt; Dumbledore turned back to the class.

Beginning to explain, in a monotone voice, the potion they were to be making today Dumbledore told them details of every aspect of the potion. 

Severus didn't pay attention. He never did, especially in Potions, weither it was because he had an inflated ego over the subject of potions or he just didn't feel in the mood for it. It was a rarity for Severus to not know about a potion, at least all the ones legal for a wizard to make and few of the other sort, it was the family 'business' to know potions. During the Great Wizarding Wars in the past most the Snapes had been most learnt in potions and most trusted with just that during the entire length of the Wars. What could a professor, even if it was Dumbledore, teach a Snape about potions?

After several minutes Dumbledore told them to get out their supplies and begin. 

"What's this one again?"Snape lazily asked Avery who was pulling out his cauldron from his bag below the table. Avery gave a ridiculing remark, hitting his head on the low table before pulling out the cauldron. 

"Damn, you should at least listen to that, Snape, he said it was a Rememberall Potion. You know the kind you put in a Rememberall Sphere."A knot began to form on Avery's head, as he rubbed it carefully. 

"I see. Do you have the moonstone fragments?"Snape questioned nonchalantly as Avery pulled out a small glass tube of the glittering substance,"The yggdraasil roots?"

"The what?"Avery howled, digging deeper in the brown lapbag.

"Only kidding."Snape didn't raise his voice,"I think you've got it all in there. You crush the wolfsbane, I'll heat the cauldron with the aconitium in it."

Placing the cauldron between the two of them Snape quickly put water into the black kettle, opening the flask of monk's hood (aconitium), as he put it in the pot started to bubble loudly mist pouring from it. Satisfied with it, Snape turned towards Avery where he expected to find the wolfsbane chopped, yet it was still in whole on the table. 

"Avery..."Getting no response, Severus grabbed the entire weed chopping it up briskly on the paper in which it lay while Avery was turned away, saying sarcasticly,"Thank you, Avery! You're so much help."

Flicking his hair once more, he stood up leaning over the cauldron slowly curling the paper up into a chute, tipping the paper, slowly letting the weeds fall into the blacken substance. Smoke rose up in pot flowing freely into Snape face, clouding most of his vision as he leaned back the smoke seemed to follow him. All that was left to do was to put the potion into the large glass flask that was somewhere on the table. Snape couldn't see a thing, as strange as it seemed, every time he leaned away from the cauldron the smoke followed him. 

'Just get it in the bottle, put a stopper in it.'Snape reached out blindly for the flask, feeling his hand fall on it,"You know Aver--"He coughed sickly, as he grabbed the flask in his hand tightening his grip on it, his eyes could see nothing but this fog that seemed to surround him. Suddenly feeling dizzy, he called out to Avery again almost dropping the glass bottle. 

Something was wrong with the potion, it wasn't supposed to be doing this. 

It was happening to him again, just like in the Quidditch Pitch and Great Hall, this feeling of his head getting heavier, his eyes falling.

//Poison.\\ 

This had to be stopped, Snape's grip tightened on the transparent bottle he knew that, but he knew nothing else just the glass was there--for all he could feel everything else around him wasn't.

"Solevere!" Dispel. 

"Liberatio!" Release. 

"Mit--" 

//Poison them all, Severus. You know you must, they don't deserve an easy death, give it to them slowly. Painfully. Something that will make them wish they were dead even as it ravages the inside of them.\\As the voice ran through him, Snape felt his grip tighten on the bottle, he wasn't letting it go--if he did then he'd be lost. Yelling every disarming spell he knew as the voice went on--why didn't Avery hear him? 

The distant noise of glass breaking. 

It was so far away, was it even real? 

A burning pain struck Severus, running through his body like it had pierced his very vains--hot liquid--he knew he was bleeding now, but still couldn't free himself from the cloud that hung over him. A strangled scream, the pain was still there--pulsating, his arms reached out for something. Anything. Finding nothing, as his chest heaved with the rigid breaths he drew in, he felt another unmanageable darkness fall on him. 

'No more. I can't take it, you can have me.'He told the voice, nothing was left in him to struggle with, then he let the black consume him--nothing he could do could stop it. 

___________________________________________________ 

_+{Part 3: "Absque Umbra [Without a Shadow]"}+_

Word travels fast through Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, so it was no surprise the Head of Slytherin was not the first person to reach the medical ward right after the incident occurred. Fighting his way through the many students Alsto first found the sulking form of Lucius Malfoy, the flaxen haired youth was sitting on a beige colored nurse's bench. Looking up Malfoy had a tainted red cloth up to his face. 

"What happened?"Alsto yelled in a dry voice, but seeing the boy flinch as tears formed in his eyes, Alsto sighed and placed a hand on his shoulder changing his tone,"Are you alright?"

"I just got hit with some of the glass, Sir."Lucius still looked like he was about to burst into tears, Alsto had never seen the boy in such a state,"It was Avery and Snape who..."

"Aveon!"

The aged professor turned away from Lucius and met the person approaching him, her hair was frazzled and falling out of a ponytail she wore, she stopped panting,"He's in the back room, Dumbledore sent me after you...."

Turning back to Lucius the professor glanced at the bloody rag he was pressing gingerly into the side of his face, then back to the nurse. 

"Lead me...."Aveon reluctantly told the nurse, as she went into the crowd glancing over her shoulder at him. Pushing up his glasses, he stepped into the crowd as well, seeing this was getting him no where he stopped,"Everyone, if you aren't essential, get out!" 

This seemed to have an effect on them, as half the crowd looked at the red-eyed professor. Smoothing his hair back behind his ears and giving them all a cold glance,"Or it will be the expense of your own house, and I don't care which house that may be."

Almost instantly the room cleared, they all were well aware Alsto would indeed take points off any house, including his own. 

"I can't believe the whole goddamn school was invited down here!" Muttered the teacher, catching up to the skinny young nurse who had stopped before him,"Where--?"

Alsto didn't need the nurse's answer. 

He heard his student first. A strangled cracking scream above any other voice, of the remaining people in nurse's station. He couldn't make out the words being screamed though he was sure the boy was yelling something. 

As Alsto stepped closer, his student was laying on a makeshift cot. When he had mustered up enough strength in himself, he looked onto the youth's face. 

Severus Snape. 

Sweat trickled down from his raven hair; tears fell from his closed eyes, tightly shut his whole body was tensed. His right hand was bandaged tightly, still blood was seeping through, and it twitched sporadically while Alsto was watching. 

"What...happened?"The professor asked, turning to Dumbledore who was sitting in a chair, his hands over his face. 

"From what I can tell it was the potion we were working on, a Rememberall."Dumbledore shifted in his seat,"And, then, from what I can tell, he had such a tight grip on the bottle....it shattered. But...I still don't understand why he hasn't awakened...."

"Tried a Resolvere?"He asked, taking a seat beside pale older man, looking at him,"Something has to be on him then, that made this happen....a curse."

"Cicuta......"Snape gasped his head thrusted to one side as if it'd been knocked that way by some force inside his body. His wounded hand twisted in the white sheets of the cot smearing the blood, continuing in an almost malicious voice,"....medicamentum......virusi.......I'll teach you.......You'll think twice...you godDAMN WHORE!" 

This brought both of the men to their feet hastily. Dumbledore looked at Alsto who returned the questioning look Dumbledore had with a staggering utterance,"No...Dumbledore...he didn't."

"He poisoned her."A meek voice, they both turned to see the nurse, standing behind them both, she'd been there all the time,"Lily....we found those in her..."

"You can't think it was him..."Alsto scowled defensively, Dumbledore lower his eyes, as the professor got up approaching Snape. Reaching his hand out, over the boy's body,"There is something."

"Alsto."Dumbledore attempted to put a hand on the professor's shoulder, the platinum haired man pushed away, getting closer to Snape. 

"There's something causing this!"The hand over Snape, scanning once more.

Suddenly, Snape's weak hand shot up, grasping at the professor blindly--catching his wrist, his eyes snapped open at first not seeming to see Alsto there. Then the boy's eyes drew in light,"Professor...."

"Severus...."Alsto let the boy's hand stay,"...Did you know what you were saying...just now?" 

"No...what?"A forceless answer, weakened the boy let his hand drop cradling it to his chest,"Where are we?"

Giving a quick look about to see if Dumbledore had heard it too, as well as the nurse. 

"The nurse's station, Snape."

"I don't want to stay here."He began to struggle, back arching--pulling himself up. 

"Stay still."Alsto whispered to him, his voice sounded so different. Severus was caught in the professor's ruby eyes again it was something different than what he usually had there. A gentleness that wasn't ever there before,"I'll take you to your room, if that's what you honestly want, you can't go yourself. Let me go and speak to the nurses, Snape, and I'll get you out of here."

Aveon glanced to Dumbledore, looking into each others eyes they both sluggishly walked out of Snape's line of vision, once they were far enough away from Snape's ears Alsto whispered,"Dumbledore, you can't suspect it's him. Let me deal with this, I assure you I'll find some resolution. Just let me...."

"Alsto, I know. I don't want to believe it's Snape either, but I'll let you. It worries me he knows this potion anyways, him being a Snape he would know most potions....but this one has been outlawed....and it's exactly how Lily was poisoned. These aren't good odds for you, Alsto."

"I've had harder. Where is Dippet?"

"Away on a meeting with the Ministry."Dumbledore smiled,"You're in luck."

"Luck isn't what this about, Albus. Well, I'll keep him in my room, so I can watch him."Alsto concluded, beginning to walk back towards the area Snape was in. His whole body seemed weak with some inner conflict he was undergoing, his eyes glued ahead. 

"Alsto you're always trying to save face, aren't you? Don't worry, I doubt getting close to one student isn't going to corrupt you into being a nicer person."A wide smile on Dumbledore's face, the professor gave him a weak smile in return.

"I hope not." 

*********************

The professor had carried the drowsy Snape from the nurse's station all the way to the Slytherin Common's room. He considered it a great feet, for certain, being able to master the changing stairwells with a ten year-old in his arms. Severus was drifting in and out of a conscious state all the time, never saying anything to Alsto. 

Opening the door with a shaking hand, Alsto pushed it open with back. The fire was still going though it was the only light, casting shadows all over the room. The room was silent save Agnes who began to cry out as soon as his emerald eyes spotted Alsto in the doorway. 

"For heaven's sake! Agnes, be quiet!"

Snape began to stir his head rolled onto Aveon's chest, as the professor got nearer to couch, shifting the boy's weight as he slowly put him down to a rest. His eyes opened lazily,"Professor?"

"Yes?"Alsto absently asked, straightening once more, he took several steps away leaning against the silky green chair, brushing the sweat from his face. 

Snape seemed to be staring at the fire, a calculating look on his face, staring at the ground, it seemed. Alsto noted it was at his feet to which Snape was glaring,"Professor....you have no shadow."

Caught off guard, the professor put on a perplexed face as well. 

"Saemund.....Of Dark Airt......"Snape weakly smiled, his eyes closed once more as if what he had said was a secondary thought and nothing more. 

Shaken by this the professor simply stood there in the shadows. The shadows in which he had no contribution to, from his body sprung no shadow just as the boy had said. But the name, which Snape had called him, was one he'd not heard in a long time. 

Saemund of Dark Airt. 

___________________________________

Authoritrix notes: I know I know, where's the Tom? I swear I didn't mean to leave him out of this one. I didn't mean to make this one so long either! I'm sorry! Thank you for dealing with me! 

next up: 

INTERLUDE: "The Tale of Dark Airt" (I'm just retelling it, in my version). 

CHAPTER 5--"(unknown)" --sorry I haven't decided! -.-;; 


	6. Interlude: The Tale of Dark Airt

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[3/31/03] Authoritrix Notes: I spell checked this one too. T.y. 

[Original] Authoritrix Notes: Here you go, the interlude, a explaination of something rather important. You might expect another one of these on Voldemort/Tom Riddle later. 

**__**

*IMPORTANT NOTE: This version of Dark Airt is much different, mainly because I had to do that, to make it fit in with my story. For example, as much as I believe there is a Satan (Yes, and there is a God too, according to my faith) I will NOT being placing him in this tale. Dark Airt is a folk tale anyhow, changing by word of mouth. If you are interested in the original versions of Dark Airt [A.K.A: The Black School/Black Airt] Ask me, and I'll give the page to you, because it isn't showing up on here. Ty.*****

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Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter J.k.Rowling does. 

_________________________________________________________

MYTHUS OF DARK AIRT, THE

__

INTERLUDE: "The Tale of Dark Airt" 

- by trsolarcat/rocketsolarcat -

_________________________________________________________

Alsto stood over the boy gazing at his silent figure once more; still unable to shake the bizarre feeling the boy had placed in him. Once long ago, he'd been called Saemund of Dark Airt, yet it was never to his liking. It was a daunting jeer of the student body that had labeled him with that name, and it seemed to stick. 

Sweat dripped from his body, carrying the boy all the way to his quarters had exhausted him, pushing his dampened hair from his face he lingered at the side of the chair for a few minutes longer. It was finally Agnes that moved him, his fear of the squawking bird's noisy protest waking Snape compelled him to stagger over towards the mess of black feathers and scold him once more. 

After feeding the bird (which in some cases seemed to defeat the purpose of scolding Agnes all together) Alsto weakly headed into his lightless bedroom, where it seemed even the fire's glow didn't help the darkness. Slipping into his evening clothes, his eyes then fell to the dark bookcase to the far end of the bedroom, glancing at one section. The section where he instinctively knew the exact book he was looking for was shelved, many nights before he'd unshelved the book, stirring up as many old memories as dust. This time as he grabbed it, he was hesitant to take it.

Returning to the light of the hearth, he gave Severus another glance, seeing him still unmoved, the professor sat in the chair. Opening the book, which was bent over to hold it's place, he began to scan it once more, the pages were old and worn from over use. He came to the top slowly reading the story he'd come to know by heart.

__________________________________________________________

In Iceland, or as some recall in Scotland, there is was a school to which none know if it is truly still there, or if it is not and has vanished along with the knowledge it held there. A school, which most call the Dark Airt, as most wizarding schools, was hidden from the eyes of muggles and other non-magic using communities. Also like other schools of the wizarding kind, it has professors and teachers (though a rumor had spread once they had none) that teach their pupils many different kinds of magic. Yet, unlike other schools Dark Airt taught their young wizards something that was forbidden in the magic world. Other than that of legal magic they also were learnt in the Dark Arts and other forms of magic. 

It was not known to the Ministry, other than simple childish rumors that the pupils of Dark Airt could curse someone in more violent ways than ever thought imaginable. 

Another thing not common in the wizarding world, which Dark Airt contributed to, was the fact it was completely underground. The school didn't allow the students or staff to leave either, during the entire year, so by the end of the year many of the students were so happy to see sunlight once more they forgot half their lessons while dancing in the light of the sun they had not seen for six months. Happiness from seeing the light of the sun wasn't the sole reason the student's were glad to be away from Dark Airt at the end of summer. 

Many have said, the Headmaster of Dark Airt was an evil monster, which most called The Prince of Darkness, but it seemed highly unlikely that it was indeed the Prince of Darkness, and more likely that he was just a cursed soul. Rumors spread every year that when the end of the summer came, and everyone was rushing outside to see the sunlight again, that the Headmaster would kidnap the soul of the student that was last out of the entire school. As the end of school grew nearer the students became tenser; no one wanted to be the last student out of Dark Airt. 

One year, there were three students: Saemund, Arnason and Haldaan (their surnames were all that was known), decided that between the three of them one would be the last out of Dark Airt, that year. Saemund declared himself the bravest of them all, and told them he would risk being the last out. 

So when the day finally came, Saemund gave his farewells to his friends, in the case that he didn't make it, and watched them slowly go up the long flight of stairs to the surface world once more to see the light of day. When they had all gotten out, Saemund began to ascend the stairs also, hearing behind him a faint voice,"You are mine..."

Behind Saemund a great shadow hung over him, the boy spun on his heels meeting the form, Saemund fell against the stairs staring into the hideous face of the Headmaster, red eyes and gnashing teeth. The Headmaster made a grab for Saemund's arm, but the boy dodged it, getting to his feet he dashed up the stairs hoping to find the top of them at any second. He heard the Headmaster right behind him, screaming, but just as he thought he would never see the light of day again--a shimmer of light hit the top of the stairs. 

Saemund flung himself outside, near the open door, his friends were all there, shock and joy filled their faces, he had made it out alive. Getting up, Saemund rose his hand in triumph, his shadow was cast on the wall near to the gaping hole of a staircase Saemund had just came from. Suddenly the Headmaster's arm emerged from the stairwell and grabbed Saemund once more, pulling him backwards. The boy quickly yelled,"Headmaster, if you truly want the last person--look at the one who follows me."

The Headmaster stopped, dropping Saemund; he made a grab for the shadow on the wall, pulling it from Saemund, then shrinking back into the shadows once more. 

Saemund was free, yet as he turned to see the Headmaster descending, he realized he had no shadow left on his body. 

And didn't have a shadow ever again. 

____________________________________________________

Alsto closed the book drowsily, giving one last glance to Severus before putting his head to rest against the chair. Letting the book slip from his hands, and fall into the sides of the chair's cushion. 

Somehow he'd have to convince the Snape's boy that he wasn't anything close to Saemund of Dark Airt, which seemed quite a task, for a man with no shadow. 

****

Authoritrix notes: ^-^; I hope that fixed somethings. hehe...Sorry, I tried to give it a "folk tale" sense of feeling to it, and I hope it didn't make it sound neanderthal. Haha...I'll continue with the normal story up next. Thank you! 


	7. Scars

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Authoritrix Notes: I get extremely weird in this one (at least in my standards, keep in mind that is what I was going for). *Laughs*. Um…I think this might get risqué so…Yes, I know how WEIRD this will get. I promise after I get through messing with your minds—it will make sense!! I'd also like to thank ScuffyDoo07 (he's got a nice story on fictionpress.com)—for the wonderful inspiration on the poetry.

_____________________________________________________________

The Mythus of Dark Airt [Untitled] 

CHAPTER 5—"Scars" 

-By: trsolarcat/rocketsolarcat-

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+[Part 1: "The Silence of a Professor" ]+

"You cut yourself don't you?" The question. 

_'Yes. I don't know why.'_ The reply.

"Doesn't it hurt? You should get the Professor to cut those claws for you they are too long." 

_'What professor? Isn't that who I—.' _Alsto's eyes slowly pulled open, his arm tensed on the arms of the olive chair he was still in, a dull pain in the back of his head. Carelessly reaching for his glasses he pulled them from his face, cleaning them then returning them to their place once more. At last his vision was well enough to examine his surroundings, seeing first thing Snape was not on the couch. His eyes wandered to the far corner where Agnes' perch was sitting, realizing that in fact the emerald-eyed buzzard had never been quiet in its entire lifetime—and for some reason it now was. Alsto stood preparing to go looking for both a missing boy, and a squawking crow. But then he stopped—

There was Snape. 

Staring up at the bird with his arms extended to the crow's sharp talons, all the Professor could see was the back of Snape's head. Watching the bird tilt its head curiously, Alsto wondered what the raven haired boy was up to, until both of their concentration was broken when the crow's eyes hit Alsto. Then Agnes cried, "Bad, bad, Alsto sneaky, twelve! _Shoe_!"

Then Snape whirled around, seeing the professor standing over the chair as he had been last night. The boy smiled, his eyes carried a sort of glimmer in them that Alsto knew had not been there before today, saying, "Good morning, Sir."

"Severus, you shouldn't be up." He was actually surprised the boy could stand after last night's display, the boy's hand was still probably in much pain. 

"I'm fine now, Sir, really." Severus told Alsto reluctantly the injured hand dangling to his side the bandages still bloody, "Sir, about what I said last night..."

As his voice trailed off, he watched the professor's expressionless face—then seeing something in the ruby eyes he went on, "...Are you, Saemund?"

Sighing deeply, the professor sat back down promptly, obviously this was not what he expected of Snape to say. His hands on the temples of his forehead, "No, you should know by now, Severus, I am not. _Saemund of Dark Airt _is a legend, made by muggles no less."

"Then, what about the shadow, if you aren't Saemund himself. You must have gone through the same thing in Dark Airt. Your shadow...it's stolen." Severus insisted on pushing the conversation further, though he seen his professor's face—he was clearly disgusted now. 

"Yes, but not by an evil Headmaster." Alsto told him, with a note of annoyance in his tone,"I don't feel the need to pry into this anymore, Severus, if you want to chase faery-tales then do it elsewhere."

Severus stopped his questions there, although many of them were still unanswered. 

When Alsto found his calm nature taking back over him he hesitantly asked, "Do you still not remember what you said last night other than that?"

"No, Sir." Came the sad reply, Snape felt a tugging inside him to tell the professor more. To tell his professor about the visions and Tom Riddle, but he held his tongue reminded of the situation in which he had been placed. Telling anyone would put him in greater risk than before, Tom would know. Snape could not explain how he knew that Riddle would find out, but he knew it. 

"Want me to tell you?" Quietly asked the professor, going on, "Sit down at least, it would make me feel better to know I wouldn't have to catch you if you went light-headed on me. Now, before I tell you what you said, tell me something, please. You haven't always had these, lets call them, episodes—have you? My true question is this: What changed now between the time you came here and when you started to have these episodes?"

Odd question. 

Snape gave Aveon a calculating look, pondering this deeply. After only a moment's time, Snape realized what it was—the necklace. Aveon must have seen some change in the youth's face and asked, "What is it?"

"It's..." He was hesitant, but slowly reached for the golden chained necklace stuffed inside his pockets (since the chain was broken it seemed useless to try and wear it), pulling it out he extended his hand out with it, "I broke it..."

Aveon looked at it with intensity, appearing to not want to touch it, but instead just look at it darkly. With a rash look about him, he finally said with reluctance, "Let me see..."

Severus didn't understand what had come over his professor here lately, first he seen him cry and now he was seeing the man scared. Which seemed within its self a curious occasion. Severus did as he was instructed and casually put the golden necklace within Aveon's outstretched hand. Resting it in the man's palm he watched almost instantly when the medallion hit the professor's hand—something horrific happened a cutting pain sliced through him that was gone as quick as it was there. Hearing a thud on the floor, he noticed the necklace resting on the green carpeted floor, his professor looking as shocked as Snape felt. 

"Are you alright..?" Meekly asked the professor, suddenly sounding humbled and powerless—Snape noticed Aveon's hand shook as it came back to rest on the arm of the chair. 

"What was that...Professor?" He was sure that Aveon knew what it was, he didn't ask anything of Snape about this _thing_ that had happened to them just now. 

"You took it off." An accusation? Or an observation? 

"Yes...But, Sir! Please, what is it?" He was almost begging this time, why wasn't Alsto telling him anything? 

"I can't—."

"Why not?!" Snape shot back, tears began to form in his eyes. This wasn't right, he didn't want to cry in front of this man—he covered his face, turning swiftly away, before finishing, "...I deserve to know."

Silence.

Nothing stir, not even the feisty bird on its perch, then Severus heard the professor stirring in his chair, almost sensing his presence behind him—Snape didn't turn to him. Feeling a soft touch on his shoulders, he glanced down to the professor's hands resting on them. 

"I don't want to keep it from you and you are right: You _do_ deserve to know, it's your right by all means...But I—Snape they are bad memories." Alsto gently voiced, his hands still on the boy's shoulders, "Ones that you should forget anyhow, give me the time to speak with Dumbledore..."

"Bad memories?" Snape thought, turning towards the professor, "What kind?"

"The worst." A grim reply, as the man dropped to his knees, looking into his eyes—the professor's face lit up suddenly, "No! I know what to do about this, I don't need Dumbledore's help—Please, don't take it off, until I return."

"What?" Snape breathed, suddenly not wanting the professor to leave his side, not understanding what had come over the professor—he asked, "Is it the necklace that makes you want to leave? Where are you going? Why so quickly?"

The professor stared at Snape deeply contemplation his answer, "It is the necklace, yet it isn't. Severus, I will be back, it won't be a long trip, and you won't miss me either. In the rarity that you do, know this: you've friends here that care about you. I'm going to help you—it's what I should've done for Gloria and I won't fail again to save one of my students."

"Sir." Snape agreed, then he felt the man's arm go around him drawing him nearer. His head rested on Aveon finding himself saying, "I just…I don't want to be alone with him." 

"I know." The professor told him, putting another arm around him—embracing him, feeling Snape's weak left arm grasp at his clothing then looking up to find those black eyes staring straight into his own. 

"You know?" Snape inquired staring blankly, as Alsto nodded in agreement, "Then can't you get rid of him. Expel him?"

"Nothing is ever as simple as it appears to be, Snape." Smiled the professor weakly as he rose once more, letting the boy go, "Do me a favor, Snape, to take you're mind off this...Talk to Avery. On the way from the nurse's office I saw him and I couldn't quite say how he was. I told Professor Dumbledore to take care of him. But I'd still like to know, you do it while I'm away."

"Sir." Snape agreed feeling something tighten inside his gut, making him ask, "What did I do to him?"

"Something, Snape, that without the help of magic could scar him for life." Alsto replied sadly, "He'll be all right though, even more so if it is you to talk to him than I."

"Yes, Sir." He groaned, bowing his head, he didn't really care to see Avery in such a state especially one he created.

_____________________________________________

+[Part 2: "Avery's Scars"]+ 

That day his teacher left, rather too hasty a departure most others in Slytherin suspected something was wrong, Snape returned to his room—his hand still ached but that only made him wonder more about Avery. Several visitors came to him that day, none of which he'd usually keep as company, until it was Lucius. 

Opening the door to a crack he seen the boy's blond hair first, "Lucius…"

He was about to cry right then, as soon as he saw the deep cuts all over Lucius' features, making the boy's normal delicate, graceful appearance look marred and brutal.

"Lucius…I'm sorry." Shaking he reached out to Lucius, watching him flinch slightly, he slowly recoiled his hand, "Please don't. I didn't mean for it to…"

"What happened to you?" Lucius bitterly asked, yet his eyes conveyed more malignancy than his words did. 

"I don't know, but Avery…"

"You hit him with it, I only got the shards…" Lucius explained quietly, Snape shook his head—he didn't want to hear it but Lucius went on almost spitefully knowing that Snape didn't want him to, "You hit him with the entire cylinder. He's blind in his right eye now."

The calm in Lucius' blunt voice, the thick malice he used—it was just like he had used in the Great Hall. _'How could one person change like that?'_ Snape thought, quickly. 

"I'm sorry." Snape confessed, he deserved the boy's anger for all that he had done, nothing was in his power to make this up to Avery or even to Lucius himself. He was numb with misery, not even noticing when the teardrops began to fall from him, as he predicted they would when he first seen Lucius at the door. 

That was all that happened to him so far in Hogwarts anyhow: he cried, he bled and he hurt everyone around him—why was he still here? 

Then he saw Lucius' face change, a saddened look came over him, reaching for Severus saying, "I didn't mean it that way—you just don't know what it was like seeing that."

"I want to see _him_." Snape told him, promptly, almost demanding it, "Now."

Lucius gave a weak smile before wrapping an arm about Snape kindly. Pulling the door on his dorm shut, Lucius and he began to walk towards Avery's room at a deadened pace. The black-haired boy's nerves died on him as he seen Avery's dorm. 

"I can't." He pulled out of Lucius' arm, turning away from the door, "After what I did to him, I can't stand my thoughts of it, let alone looking at him. He must hate me."

Hearing the flaxen-haired boy's sigh he began to walk away when he heard, "I changed my mind, you cannot be my Second."

Severus scrunched up his face, confused by this. 

"You can't be my Second, because you aren't brave enough to be your own First." Lucius saw the boy turn back slowly, smiling he added, "I can't have a coward as my partner."

An odd smile came over Snape's face, laughing. He was laughing now, a strange thing for him to do, in the light of all the things that happened—but laughing. For several seconds Lucius had brought him out of the misery—for once someone was being his _friend_, in a true meaning of the word. Not just acting—but real enough to make him smile—Snape wasn't sure he'd ever had a companion as Lucius. 

"Lucius, thank you."

______________________________________________________

Entering the room, Snape grabbed Lucius tightly, complete darkness within the room they couldn't see anything around them. 

"Avery?" Lucius softly asked, noticing Snape held on to him, he pulled the boy closer whispering, "There you go again being scared. I can't have that."

Then Snape seen Avery, in a corner he sat on the floor his head against the darkened wall—turned away from them—his dark hair thrown into his face, panting harshly shaken. His hands were tensed clawing down the wall blood covering them, with an almost inhuman look to them the nails ground to the quick. Under Severus' feet heard the scraping of glass—'_it's a mirror' _he realized all too late. Avery had seen them standing in the darkness watching him—in his crazed behavior he hissed lowly, "It's you."

"Avery, listen—." Snape began but Avery jerked his head turning to him quickly—then he saw Avery's right eye. Feeling a lump form inside his throat, the bleeding patch over Avery's eye, the stitches visible from the corner of the patch, the blacken part of the boy's face—the fact that he caused that sickened him more than Avery's eye its self. 

"To what? You came in here expecting me to forgive you?" Avery laughed menacingly, then his voice went into a hysterical cry, "Is that it? I will be blind, for the rest of my life! I don't know what to do! I don't—You _honestly _expect me to forgive you?"

"No, Avery, I don't expect it, I came to beg for it—but I don't _expect_ anything!" Snape explained, as he seen the tall brown-haired boy was rising slowly to his feet. Approaching Snape cautiously as if he was afraid to get near the younger boy, several steps in front of Lucius, fear petrified Snape—he couldn't move. Perhaps it was also the guilt that kept him from leaving then as well. 

"Leave." Avery coldly breathed, now within inches of Severus. 

"But—!"

"Just go." Giving Lucius an off-handed glance, he backed away, mocking the words: _'I'm sorry.'_ to the blond, before he dashed out the door. Not looking back, he didn't stop until he was in his room once more, breathing heavy and rigid he stopped in front of the window. Opening it, as sweat poured from his body, clutching his fist tightly digging the fingernails into the bandages—though it hurt him. He wanted to feel its burn, feel it for what he'd done to Avery. What a fool he was for thinking he could be forgiven so easily, by either of them. 

As he continued to look out into the night, he thought he saw something move far, far below in the outer yard of the castle. Moving towards the forest, quite strange for something in the middle of the night to be wandering the Forbidden Forest. Forbidden for good reasons, Snape concluded, as he continued to watch the specks below wander off towards the trees—the newly planted willow in particular. Remembering that it was a magical willow made him wonder if the small specks knew they would beaten if they got closer to it. He didn't have long to worry about the small specks or the tree—a knock at his door. 

Not wanting to pay it any mind he ignored it, he didn't much feel like catering to the whims of the questioning Slytherin girls who wanted to talk to the _poor boy with the curse_. 

Then it came again, louder. 

Snape turned to it this time, half-angry at the person's persistence to bother him so much. Yelling then as they rapped once more, "Go away!"

"No." The soft answer of a familiar voice, Snape's eyes grew, dread grasp at him—the door was the other thing between him now. Aveon wasn't there, nor was Dumbledore and he had no other confidants to save him. 

"Tom?" Severus murmured to the door, hoping pleading that he was wrong—he backed himself against the window, feeling the breeze behind him. He didn't have anywhere to go. 

__________________________________________

****

+[Part 3: "The Spell of Forgetall: 1st Mystery's Resolve"]+ 

"Severus, open the door." 

For a split second, as Severus' mind began to race, he thought of his broom, but the chances of that prospect was slim, the wind was savage that night though he knew how to fly—the altitude in which he was at made it not easy or preferable weather. 

"Severus." Tom repeated softly through the door, "I don't think you'd like me to open it for you, Snape, I just would like a word with you."

_'A word?' _He mocked within his head as his eyes darted frantically about the room for a way out, returning to the window in vain. Shaking he turned to the door, a uncertain decision hit him, he made the surrender silently to himself as he took the long walk to the door—though it was truly several steps across the disorderly sleeping quarters. Holding the doorknob, hearing Tom's smooth voice once more whispering, "Snape…there isn't any point in this, really, is there?"

"No." He turned the knob, almost painful—it was against his own natural judgment to do this, "There isn't."

As the door's rustic hinges open making a high-pitched noice, Snape's eyes edged around the side, first spotting the Head Boy's thin hand on the wooden jamb. To look into Tom Riddle's face would mean the loss of what shaken nerves he still had, a tight grip on the frame of the door Severus could see the veins tense—anger didn't cover what Riddle probably was. 

Severus didn't dare say a word. 

_'Coward. Tell him you didn't break your so-called promise to him, and be done with it! Better yet, run for it, he can't catch you before you get to Dumbledore.' _It was a voice deep inside him, constantly giving him these solutions—even when it was too late. 

"Aren't you going to ask me in?" Venomously asked Tom carelessly he let go of the jamb, straightening his robes, as if he were casually speaking, "It's the least you could do, eh?"

_'No. Don't. It's the worst thing you could do. I have no choice; no one is even near here, no where to go to. Just let him—no!' _Snape's inner battle only made the overwhelming sense of frustrating helplessness grow, the answer in the end, rolled off his tongue as simple as a lie from a thief, "Yes, Sir."

Backing from the entry, Snape let the gaunt Head Boy through the door with his slow almost elegant walk—like Alsto's but, if possible, a more proud self-conscious. Tom stopped his eyes fixed on the open window as he gave a slight motion, with his head, for Severus to close the door. When the young boy had closed it, with much hesitation Tom finally turned toward him, a corrupt look about him—a twisted smile—pulling his nose into a sick arrogant grin as he said, "You're making quite a mess of things, Severus. You shouldn't be doing such things if you don't have any allies to cover your tracks, to help you with, my young Lord."

Never had Snape been referred to as this, _'my young Lord'_. It was true, he was to inherit the Snape fortune as the rightful heir—but being called this made it sound as if his father was already deceased. As if it were already his and Tom were reminding him that he owned the mansion (along with its attachments). 

The boy didn't say anything, instead just stood in the middle of the room, his fingers fumbling with the bandages his hands were wrapped in. His hair thankfully over his face, so Riddle could possibly not see all the nervous tension he tried to withhold on his hidden face. Hopefully he couldn't. 

Clicking his tongue, Tom shook his head chuckling under his breath—as he backed towards the window leaning against its sill. Letting the breeze toss his brown locks around—Tom glanced back to Snape, almost carelessly. As Tom's head rolled back into the direction of the wind closing his eyes (he seemed to be enjoying the warm weather), he abruptly said, "Poor Avery." 

Snape felt the boy's comment like a punch in his heart—a cold feeling inside him, he stuttered at the thought of Avery again. 

"I didn't mean to do it." His voice was so low it was barely audible, but Tom had no problem picking it up in the quiet of the room. 

Tom looked back at the boy, giving him a curious look he continued almost teasing, "It isn't your fault. Is it?"

"No." Snape heard himself—it was an automatic response. _'Is this denial?'_

"It might be." Tom replied quickly. Snape's head snapped up, confusion in his cold eyes—Did he just reply to the boy's inner thoughts—could Tom read his _mind_? Looking into Tom's eyes for the first time during the conversation, "…It might be your fault."

Somewhat relieved, Severus gave his reluctant return of, "How so, Sir?"

Tom's lean body, still against the window, moved from the breeze. Running his slender fingers over his frazzled hair—as he pushed off the window, he stepped towards Severus in his graceful mannerism. 

"If you'd thrown it out the window it wouldn't have caused much of a problem to anyone. You wouldn't have hurt anyone. But alas—Aveon doesn't want that now does he? Did you ever stop to think—why?" 

As Tom let the words flow smoothly from his mouth, as if they were common knowledge he watched a sick air pass over Severus. 

"How do you know that?" Snape loudly demanded suddenly, backing away from Tom—as the older boy was almost within a reachable distance of him. And that is what Snape did not want to happen most of all. Mocking his steps backward, Tom moved after him—driving him back into a blackened corner of the room, Snape's eyes edged around nervously. 

"It didn't occur to you did it?" Chortled Tom, seeing the younger boy before him trying to desperately get away from the corner he was in, "You'll hurt yourself again—."

"Let me, I'm getting away from you!" 

Tom's smile faded, being replaced by a nasty sneer. Tom's hand shot out at Severus instantly the boy dodged—stumbling in a mad scramble to get away from the Head Boy. Only to land into the carpet roughly, Severus' ears were ringing—it felt as if his lungs were on fire—his heart was in his throat—though he had not run for to long. He was too stunned from the musings of: _'That was my one chance to get away and it failed.'—_to notice the numb stinging in his knees from hitting the floor so harshly. 

_'You always do this. You try to get away—and you fail. You fail.' _This voice was his own, or at least he perceived it to be him own. Hearing Tom's shoes on the padded flooring he knew the boy was over him, he looked up with his bruised face. (If he were in another situation he might have found humor in such a think, those boastful words of freeing himself, only to end up falling into the carpet in defeat.)

Tom was kneeling down on his haunches curiously looking into his face. His hand slowly extended offering it to Snape—hesitantly taken. Pulling the boy up towards him until Snape was on his knees before him. Tom lay a warm hand over him—tightening its grip—Snape was forced to lean forward into Riddle's chest. 

Was Riddle _holding _him? Confused and stunned Severus let this happen—convinced Riddle had _won_.

"I told you not to Severus." Whispered Tom, his voice was dangerous—seductive, "You didn't have problems following daddy's instructions did you? Or your teacher's…That's why I _want_ you."

_'Want?'_

His heart stopped for a short second, he jerked away—but Tom's arms where like a constrictor and only tightened. 

Feeling Tom's breath on his face as he spoke once more, "But that's not the only reason I want you around, Severus. There is another…" 

Tom's head moved soundlessly from his ears, down to his neck nuzzling against it. His arms moved tediously downward, to the boy's robed waist, "It's…" 

_'Stop.' _His inner voice cried, begging for someone to walk in—save him—do something. But his physical body made his own mind a liar—while his mind begged for Riddle to halt this molestation—his body was (curiously) urging the bold move Tom was making. As if two people were inside his head (though at this point it wouldn't be much of a shock to him) telling him what to do. His demon and his angel never able to agree.

"This…" Instantly he realized Tom's hands went into the robes—his pockets?

The demon in his mind was disappointed briefly. But its confusion turned to another horrified discovery—Tom's searching was in the pouch in which the necklace was—feeling the warm hands pull out of the outer garment. 

Tom's hands fell slack, letting Snape drop backwards—as he held the necklace out of Snape's eyes to see—taunting. 

"This is why I want you—after you see this, Severus, you'll beg for assistance, it's only a matter of time before you would've discovered it," Tom held the chain, waving it back and forth as if it were a pendulum. 

"Tom, give it—." He began, as his left hand reached out for it—Tom swatted the hand away carelessly taking the amulet in his palm. The horrid feeling came over him again, just as it had before, then through Snape's fading eyesight he watched Tom throw it down. It was like the world was near stopping; the last thing he remembered seeing was the glittering emerald pieces shatter across the ground. 

*************

_ Was someone singing? It wasn't too surprising she always did that for us. She would come in, sit at the edge of the bed, her hair was long, black shining like a polished stone—smooth it felt like silk as it brushed around us as we kissed her face. Don't you remember…Mother?_

**No, I don't.**

Then try harder, she would tell you one of the old stories—sing it out as we closed our eyes. Of the wizards that we descended from the ones that fought over land, ruling rights and their honor—she told us we were a proud family. We don't understand that's not true. We lost all of that—now all that is left is this house. 

So we would ask her, "Mum, why do you tell us about such places? They do not exist anymore."

She would say then, in a smooth voice with a sad smile over her beautiful face, "We still have some of that, my son—the honor is still ours. As long as we are a proud family—we will be all right."

She is lying. We look into her eyes and see it, she fears for this honor. We wonder if it is all gone—if we are not 'proud' anymore of being Snapes. 

It's true, she doesn't want to tell us, but we are shamed—it's in our house. We hear it at night; mother and father are ashamed of it. It curses at them, tells them horrible things, and when it knows we are listening, it says these things to us. 

We don't know where it was coming from—it seems to be all around—in the still air of the mansion it yells out in its deformed voice. It makes us want to scream it won't go away. Leave my family alone. 

Mother is through singing, we pretend to be asleep. 

"Good-night, my son." She gently told us, as she stands, her long black dress bellowing in the breeze of the open window, she gingerly walks over closing it. She locks the door behind her. We listen to her footsteps until they are no more. 

Our eyes open slowly, the darkness all around, we've decided—tonight—we will find it! This creature that haunts the house, tells mother that it will eat her—and father that it will skin him alive. But what does it say about us? It doesn't yell those things at us—we can't understand it. 

As we crawl out of bed we watch the shadows around us, hiding our body from the light we go to our door. When we unlock it, we go out—darkness is within our hall. The windows are covered in a heavy material, not even the torches are lit—we wonder about this, as we grope the wall blindly—we feel as if we are in a cave. "Why do they do this?"

****

It's because it can't hide unless the torches are lit. The Shadows—there are no shadows in a place with pitch darkness. Light creates shadows, as much as darkness does. 

Then is it a Vampire? We wonder about this, we read about them all the time. As we finally reach the end of the hall we finally see a lit torch. Then we hear voices, as we get closer we realize it is mother and father. 

"We have to, Vicktor! He's insane! There is nothing we can do, we'll make it look as if it were an accident—they will believe it!" Mother's voice was weak; we could see the image of her crying in our head what her tear-soaked face must be like.

Father replies, "I can cure him, Morrigan! All I have to do to reverse it is—!"

"Is what?! His soul is already gone—the only chance is to find a strong enough Soul-Keeper to drive out this demon and pull his original back inside! We don't have that time!" Mother yelled, "I loved him too but we can't save him—kill him before it's too late!"

Soul-Keeper? That word—we know it. It's a poem, "Setting sun, rising moon—lose your shadow, half-past noon. If the darkness do'th not return—demons rise a body—they yearn. Soul-Keeper, find them a spirit in which to bind, before the dawn of day nine."

We have a lost soul in our house? In the basement? 

We back away from the door silently, we don't want to know anymore—we wish we were not so curious. If we weren't we wouldn't be here. 

Footsteps begin to echo through the darkness, we hide behind the black tapestry against the stone walls. It is a House-Elf, coming back to the door—meekly the small elf reaches for the door rapping on it, we watch as our parents meet her at the door. 

"What is it?" Father growls harshly, at the cowering form before him, a stiff look on his face. 

"My Lord, he ask' for ye, Your Grace, and—," The elf bowed as she began to explain, yet we see our mother approaching—she too gives the creature a hideous glower. As the elf stops taking another bow our father interrupts. 

"You know we do not cater to his request anymore, Trida." Father again. 

The elf quickly continued, too quickly, we know father would consider it rude, "But, Your Grace, he is free…"

Through the threaded tapestry we for the first time saw our father—he was terrified. 

"What!" He yelled, his feet began to work quickly, skidding to a halt, "Morrigan, check the boy—I'll find him!" 

A lump formed in our chest, we knew what would happen then, we dare not move from the spot, yet we knew we were finished. 

Watching mother quietly, we followed her with our eyes—then when she was gone we came out—searching for where father had went to. Then we stalked quietly down the long hallway back to our room—perhaps we could lie our way out of this. 

The lights down our hall—we stopped. The monster, the lost soul, we heard its voice once again, hissing its deadly threats. 

Yet this time we heard the answers, mother was talking to this beast, "You can't do this—he'll stop you, my love."

We saw it now, in front of us, mother was talking to the dark shadow in front of her. It was towering over her small figure—yet she didn't seem to shake or look frightened. 

"My love, I know what is going on more than you do—it is time I fixed my mistakes." It hissed we caught the glimmer of its red eyes. 

**********************

Snape jerked to the side, he felt something tighten around him—Tom. Sweat slid down his face, dripping from his nose, "Tom…"

"Yes?" His voice was so kind. This couldn't possibly be the same Tom that had threatened him; the other boy had a gentle grip upon his waist. Snape didn't struggle against him, as the two sat in the darkness. 

"Did you see that…?" He asked timidly.

"A long time ago." 

"How? What does it—."

"You know who it is." 

"What was he doing there?" 

"Killing her." Tom smiled as he looked down, "It isn't over. I can show you more. I know how it ends—want to see, or will you stay this way forever."

"No." Snape relaxed into the boy's chest, "Show me."

_______________________

****

Authoritrix Notes: Sorry I had to end it, or I would kill myself trying to mistake hunt. I wish I'd got to the weirdest part—but I couldn't make it!! DAMMIT ALL~! O.O Sorry. Plz don't hate me. 

__


End file.
